Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-24

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 5.5)

The process diagram represents method for the production of sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, sugar cane undergo multiple procedure like growing sugarcane, harvesting, after that crushing and purification leading to evaporation along with centrifugation and drying for the production of sugar.

Initially sugar cane crop grows for almost 12-18 months after crop reach to its maturation farmers started harvesting of sugar cane, it can be done either manually cutting by hand by some labours or by using harvestor machine. After harvesting sugar cane is subjected for crushing and grinding which results in production of sugar cane juice which further processed for purification using limestone filter through which juice and solid biomass separated. later on purified juice is passed through evaporation by exposing juice to heat which converts juice in to syrup. Furthermore, centrifugation technieque is used to remove crystals from syrup. Finally,when complete centrifugation is done the collected crystals undergo drying and cooling step and ready for market.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all the main steps in the linear process of making sugar from sugar cane, from growing and harvesting through to crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifugation, and final cooling. The student provides a clear overview in the second sentence that outlines the main stages of the process. While some details, such as the duration of the growing phase (12-18 months) and the two harvesting methods, are included, the description remains somewhat compact and reads more like a single block of text rather than fully developed paragraphs. However, all parts of the visual data are addressed accurately without significant omissions or irrelevancies, earning a solid Band 6.5 to 7.0 for task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text maintains a coherent overall progression, following the sequential flow of the diagram chronologically. Cohesive devices and transition markers such as 'Overall', 'Initially', 'After harvesting', 'later on', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the stages. However, the formatting and paragraphing are weak, as the entire response is clumped together into an introductory sentence followed by one massive block of text. Better paragraph division—separating the agricultural phase from the industrial processing steps—would improve the logical structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process diagram, incorporating subject-specific terms such as 'harvestor machine', 'crushing and grinding', 'limestone filter', 'evaporation', 'syrup', 'centrifugation technique', and 'sugar crystals'. There are, however, several lexical and spelling errors, such as 'method' instead of 'a method', 'sugar cane undergo' (subject-verb agreement), 'harvestor' (harvester), and 'technieque' (technique). Despite these flaws, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the processes clearly, aligning with Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses ('through which juice and solid biomass separated') and participial phrases. However, the writing suffers from run-on sentences and punctuation lapses, particularly in the long final paragraph where multiple clauses are joined comma splices or lack necessary conjunctions (e.g., 'Finally,when complete centrifugation is done the collected crystals undergo...'). Grammatical errors, including missing articles and tense inconsistencies, occur throughout, but they rarely impede the overall comprehension of the process.

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