Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-28

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 process which is taken for the manufacturing of sugar from sugar cane.

The total seven steps are required for the making of sugar from sugar cane.

In first step the sugar cane are growed for 12 to 18 months in the feilds. In next step The machine are used for the harvesting and to colect them or cut by hands. After that the sugar canes are put into a machine for crushing it and juice is collected from another side of machine. In the fourth step a filter called limestone filter is used to purify the juice. In the next step this juice is heated in evaporater by suppling the heat and juice turns into syrup. In the second last step a tool called centrifuge separates the sugar crystals from the syrup. At the end these sugar crystals are dryed and cooled in a bucket. The manufacturing of sugar is done after this step.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully identifies the main stages of the sugar manufacturing process, starting from growing and harvesting through to crushing, purifying, evaporating, centrifuging, and drying/cooling. All parts of the diagram are covered adequately, and the sequencing is generally accurate. However, the response lacks a clear, cohesive overall summary or overview statement in the introduction, which is expected for Band 7 and above in Academic Task 1. Additionally, some details are slightly simplistic in their description. Despite these minor limitations, the information presented is factual and directly derived from the visual prompt, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay is organized in a chronological progression that mirrors the steps in the diagram. Each step follows logically from the previous one, utilizing basic sequential markers such as 'In first step', 'In next step', 'After that', and 'At the end'. However, the paragraphing is weak; the body paragraph is excessively long and consists of a run of short, repetitive sentences ('In first step...', 'In next step...'). Cohesive devices are mechanical and overused, lacking variety and sophisticated referencing. This fits the profile for Band 5.5 to 6.0, where organization is coherent overall but cohesion can be faulty or mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate to describe the process, featuring task-specific terms like 'sugar cane', 'limestone filter', 'evaporater', and 'centrifuge'. However, there are noticeable word choice and spelling errors, such as 'growed', 'feilds', 'colect', 'evaporater', and 'dryed'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and attempts at less common lexical items are marred by inaccurate spelling and morphological forms. While communication is not impeded, the lexical control restricts the score to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but grammatical accuracy is weak throughout the text. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and articles, such as 'the sugar cane are growed', 'The machine are used', and 'into a machine for crushing it and juice is collected'. Articles are also frequently misused or omitted ('In first step', 'in a bucket'). The frequency of these errors places the writing firmly in the Band 5.0 range, as errors are noticeable and cause some difficulty for the reader.

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

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