Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

How sugar is produced from sugar cane

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the stages of the manufacturing process of sugar . how sugar is produced from sugar cane.

This shows that first sugar cane is grown then do harvesting ,after that the process of crushing starts , then purify , evaporate , centrifuge and at last dry and cool.

First of farmers plant sugar cane it takes about 12 to 18 months , when they fully mature they start harvesting sometimes from hands and some time by machines. after cutting process of crushing start this is done by machine in which sugar cane is crushed and juice separates from it. furthermore limestone filter is used to purify juice, through heating juice becomes syrup . Then centrifuge the syrup which separates sugae crystals and they dry and cool the sugar .

In conclusion it is a process of making sugar from sugar cane . it includes, harvesting, purifying,drying and cooling e.t.c.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The student attempts to cover all stages of the sugar cane manufacturing process, from growing and harvesting through to crushing, purifying, evaporating, centrifuging, and finally drying and cooling. However, the response is barely above the minimum length requirement at 151 words, and the explanation of the stages remains somewhat superficial. While key elements such as the 12 to 18 month growing period, manual and mechanical harvesting, and the limestone filter are mentioned, the overall development lacks depth and a clear, well-structured overview. The mechanical processes are described simply without fully integrating the comparison of the two harvesting methods into a cohesive summary. Consequently, the response aligns best with Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The text exhibits basic organizational structure with an introductory sentence, a body paragraph detailing the steps, and a brief conclusion. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, and the flow is hindered by weak transitional devices and run-on sentences. For example, the sentence starting with 'First of farmers plant sugar cane...' lacks proper punctuation and conjunctions, stringing multiple distinct phases together clumsily. Cohesive devices are used repetitively ('then', 'after that', 'furthermore'), which creates a mechanical feel rather than a smooth, logical progression. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall progression becomes disjointed in places. This performance fits the Band 5 criteria.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, frequently lifting terms directly from the prompt such as 'growing', 'harvesting', 'crushing', 'purifying', and 'evaporator'. There are noticeable word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'do harvesting', 'from hands', and 'suage crystals'. While the student attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'furthermore' and 'limestone filter', the overall lexical range is narrow and minimally adequate for the task. Spelling mistakes and lexical inaccuracies occur with enough frequency to cause occasional difficulty for the reader, placing this response firmly at Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammatical range is extremely limited, relying heavily on simple or poorly connected clauses. There is a frequent lack of punctuation (such as missing periods and commas), leading to comma splices and run-on sentences, as seen in 'after cutting process of crushing start this is done by machine in which sugar cane is crushed...'. Subject-verb agreement and article usage are frequently flawed ('First of farmers plant', 'when they fully mature they start harvesting'). Complex sentence structures are either absent or attempted with high error rates. These persistent grammatical inaccuracies cause frequent disruption for the reader, reflecting Band 4.0 performance.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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