Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-27
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 illusrates the seven stages of a process involved in formation of sugar from the sugar canes.
The whole manufacturing process consist of different stages from planting,harvesting and crushing of sugar canes to forming juice.This juice changes to syrup and after centrifugation, drying and cooling process sugar is obtained.
Initially, sugar canes are cultivated taking 12-18 months than harvesting done by mannual process or through harvesting machines. Crushing of sugar canes in the machines changed them into juice.Secondly, juice having impurities proceeded through filtration process with the help of limestone filters.
Followed this, purified juice is transported to the evaporaters for evaporation process. This process completed with the help of heat and juice converted into syrup by removing water. Furthermore, this syrup placed in the centrifugation method where sugar crystals are separated out from syrup.Finally, these crystals kept for drying and cooling process. After passing these distinct seven stages whole manufacturing process completed and sugar is obtained.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully covers all major stages of the sugar manufacturing process, starting from the cultivation of sugar canes (12-18 months) through harvesting, crushing, purifying, evaporating, centrifuging, and finally drying and cooling. An overview is present in the second sentence, summarizing the main progression. The student reports the key features accurately based on the visual data, including the dual methods of harvesting and the use of a limestone filter and heat. However, there are some minor descriptive gaps and slight inaccuracies in phrasing, such as referring to 'forming juice' as a stage rather than an output of crushing. Overall, the response addresses all parts of the task satisfactorily, earning a Band 6.5.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is organized into logical paragraphs, separating the introduction/overview from the body stages, and uses some cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Secondly', 'Followed this', and 'Finally'. However, the referencing and transitional phrasing can be mechanical and occasionally awkward, as seen in phrases like 'Followed this, purified juice is transported' and 'this syrup placed in the centrifugation method'. Paragraphing is utilized, though paragraph boundaries and transitions could be smoother. Logical progression is maintained throughout, but cohesion requires more flexibility to reach higher bands. This performance aligns with Band 6.0 descriptors.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student attempts a range of process-related vocabulary, including terms like 'cultivated', 'harvesting', 'crushing', 'impurities', 'filtration', 'evaporators', and 'crystals'. There are, however, several word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'illusrates' (illustrates), 'consist' (consists), 'mannual' (manual), and 'evaporaters' (evaporators). Less common lexical items are attempted but lack precise control or collocation, such as 'centrifugation method' instead of 'centrifuge' or 'centrifugation process'. The lexical range is adequate for the task, but errors in spelling and word formation keep this score at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as participial phrases ('taking 12-18 months') and relative clauses. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with missing articles ('harvesting done by mannual process'), incorrect prepositions ('in the centrifugation method'), and verb-form discrepancies ('this process completed', 'juice converted'). Punctuation issues also appear, such as double spaces and missing commas. While these errors do not impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the text from achieving a higher band. Control of grammar is characteristic of Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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