Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, the process consists of seven distinct stages, beginning with the growing sugarcane in 12 to 18 months and goes through different process and ended up with drying and cooling to extract sugar from the sugarcane.

Initially, the primary step was to grow sugarcane from the field, which takes 12 to 18 months to grow. Then, the sugarcane is gone for harvesting. Then, the sugarcane is harvested either mechanically of manually. After that, it is taken to the factory for the next step called crushing, where workers put sugarcane on the tophead of the machine. Then, the machine extracted juice from the crushed sugarcane. Additionally, the extracted juice is purifired through limestione filter. Then, after purification, the juice undergo in the container, where the heat turned the juice into syrup.

After that, the syrup goes for centrifuge, where it separates sugar crystals from syrup. Finally, the sugar crystals will be available for drying and cooling, where sugar is processed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully covers all the key stages of the sugar cane manufacturing process shown in the diagram, ranging from the initial growing and harvesting phases to crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifugation, and finally drying and cooling. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the seven distinct stages. However, the expression in the overview contains grammatical awkwardness ('beginning with the growing sugarcane in 12 to 18 months and goes through different process and ended up with...'). While the main features are identified and reported, some of the descriptions rely too heavily on simple listing rather than fluid synthesis, and there is minor awkwardness in reporting specific visual details, such as mentioning that workers put sugarcane on the tophead of the machine. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, placing this response at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response is organized into four paragraphs, including an introduction, an overview, and two body paragraphs detailing the steps of the process. Logical progression is generally maintained through sequencing devices such as 'Initially', 'Then', 'After that', and 'Finally'. However, the overuse of connective words like 'Then' at the start of multiple consecutive sentences in the third paragraph makes the cohesion feel mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Then, the sugarcane is gone... Then, the sugarcane is harvested... Then, it is taken... Then, the machine extracted...'). Paragraphing is functional, separating the introduction/overview from the sequence of steps, but referencing and logical flow could be smoother and more varied to achieve a higher band score. This performance fits Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using process-specific terms such as 'manufacturing process', 'harvested mechanically or manually', 'crushing', 'purified', 'limestone filter', 'evaporator', 'syrup', 'centrifuge', and 'sugar crystals'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including 'purifired', 'limestione', and 'undergo in the container' (instead of 'undergoes' or 'is placed'). Furthermore, repetition of basic verbs like 'goes' and 'is' limits lexical variety. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main steps of the process, these inaccuracies and limited flexibility restrict the score to Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, such as 'beginning with the growing sugarcane in 12 to 18 months and goes through different process and ended up with...', 'the sugarcane is gone for harvesting', 'mechanically of manually' (typographical error for 'or'), and 'the juice undergo in the container, where the heat turned the juice into syrup' (tense inconsistency). Tense usage fluctuates between present simple and past tense inappropriately for a process description. Because errors are frequent and occasionally cause minor friction for the reader, a Band 5.5 is appropriate.

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

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