Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-25

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 outline the manufacturing stages for produce sugar from sugar cane.

overall, this process include the main stages such as harvesting, drying and cooling and centrifuge.

This process is start with growing of sugar canes it takes 12-18 month after growing harvesting is start in which the sugar cane is cut and remove the leaf from it this take place in a machine. In crushing it can pass through a machine and produce juice and other send wastes are send into farm for animals.

In fourth stage, juice is purifying and it pass through the limestone filter after this purify juice send for heating and it convert in syrup and the process of evaporator can be their. In next step crystals sugar is sperated from syrup.IN last process crystals sugar is cooling and drying after this is can pack and send into markets.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The student attempts to summarise the main stages of the sugar manufacturing process, identifying key steps from growing and harvesting to crushing, purifying, evaporating, centrifuging, and drying. However, the response falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement (containing only 144 words), which directly impacts the completeness of the task. While an overview is attempted ("overall, this process include the main stages..."), it lacks clarity and precision. Some details are slightly confused or underdeveloped, such as how the juice is processed or how the centrifuge separates the crystals. To improve, the writer must ensure the minimum word count is met, provide a more robust and cohesive overview, and carefully trace each step of the diagram without missing vital details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text exhibits basic organisation with some linking words like "In fourth stage" and "In next step", but the logical progression is frequently disrupted by awkward phrasing and poor paragraphing. The response is broken into a brief opening sentence, a short overview, and two dense blocks of text that bundle multiple steps together without smooth transitions. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as "after this purify juice send for heating and it convert in syrup and the process of evaporator can be their." Cohesive devices are used mechanically and sometimes inaccurately. To achieve a higher band, the student should structure the essay into distinct, logically ordered paragraphs—such as separating the preparation/harvesting phase from the factory refinement phases—and employ a wider variety of transitional markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a limited, basic vocabulary range with frequent word choice and morphological errors. Examples include "outline" instead of "outlines", "manufacturing stages for produce" instead of "for producing", and "crystals sugar" instead of "sugar crystals". Some vocabulary is lifted from the prompt or translated awkwardly ("other send wastes are send into farm"). While the topic-specific vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the general idea of sugar production, the persistent inaccuracies in word formation and collocation constrain the score. To improve, the student should focus on correct word forms (nouns, adjectives, verbs) and incorporate more precise academic collocations related to industrial processes, such as 'extracted', 'filtered', and 'crystallised'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response features a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences joined by basic coordinators or run-on structures. Attempts at complex sentences often result in severe grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ("this process is start", "juice is purifying") and tense confusion. There are also frequent punctuation lapses and missing articles throughout the text. The high density of basic grammatical errors means that error-free sentences are the exception rather than the rule, which impedes fluent reading. To enhance grammatical performance, the student needs to practice forming accurate passive structures, which are essential for describing mechanical processes, and ensure strict adherence to subject-verb agreement and tense consistency.

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