Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-22

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of producing sugar from sugar cane, showing the different stages from growing ogf sugar cane and ending with the drying and cooling of sugar.

Overall, it is clear that the process consist of seven main stages, beginning with the growing of sugar cane and ending with the drying and cooling of sugar.

At the first stage, sugar cane is grown from 12 to 18 months, until it is ready to be harvested. After that, it is harvested either by a machine or by hand. Next, the sugar cane is crushed in a machine to extract the juice. The resulting juice is then purified by passing it through a limestone filter.

In the next stage, the purified juice is heated an evaporator, where it become thick syrup. Subsequently, the syrup is placed in a centrifug, which seperates the sugar crystals from the remaining syrup. Finally, the sugar crystals are dried and cooled. After this stage, the finished sugar is ready for use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear overview of the sugar manufacturing process and detailing all seven main stages depicted in the diagram, from growing to drying and cooling. The information is accurately reported without any significant omissions or misinterpretations of the visual data. The response includes a well-formulated introduction and an overview paragraph that captures the essence of the process. While the detail is slightly repetitive in its adherence to the linear steps, it fully satisfies the requirements of Task 1 by selecting and reporting the main features effectively. This performance comfortably aligns with Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The student uses a variety of cohesive devices to guide the reader through the linear process smoothly, such as "Overall, it is clear that", "At the first stage", "After that", "Next", "In the next stage", and "Finally". Paragraphing is managed appropriately, separating the introduction/overview from the body of the process steps. Although referencing and cohesion are occasionally slightly formulaic, the overall flow is coherent and natural. This meets the criteria for a Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully employing process-specific terms such as "extracted", "purified", "limestone filter", "evaporator", "thick syrup", "centrifuge", and "sugar crystals". However, there are a few minor lexical and spelling errors present, such as "ogf" (of), "heated an evaporator" (missing preposition), "centrifug" (centrifuge), and "seperates" (separates). These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band. The vocabulary range is sufficient for precision, earning a solid Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively, such as relative and participial clauses (e.g., "where it become thick syrup" and "separating the sugar crystals from the remaining syrup"). There is good control over simple structures and basic tense usage in the passive voice, which is appropriate for a process description. However, there are minor grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement or tense inconsistency in subordinate clauses ("where it become" instead of "becomes"), and missing prepositions ("heated an evaporator"). Despite these occasional slips, the majority of sentences are clear and error-free, supporting a Band 7 score.

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

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