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)

There is sugar formation from sugar cane shown in given diagram, as sugar is necessary for almost every sweet thing so formation of sugar is a mandatory process to learn about. First, sugar is extracted from sugar canes, sugar cane takes almost 12 to 18 months to grow so that they would be able to provide much better quality for sugar. After 12 to 18 months sugar canes are ready for sugar extraction and harvesting process start, their harvesting can be done manually by hands of a farmer or by harvesting machine on a great scale.

After their harvest they are crushed so sugar cane juice could be extracted from them. As extracted juice is not pure, for purification it is passed through limestone filter which filters almost all impurities from it. Once the purification is done then there come the evaporation phase where the purified juice is heated so it could take the volume like syrup form which makes it more viscous. Ather evaporation the syrup is centrifuged so sugar particles could be separated from the syrup. Once the sugar crystals are separated from the syrup its cooling and drying process takes place and sugar is formed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student successfully identifies the main purpose of the diagram, which is the multi-stage manufacturing process of sugar from sugar cane. The response covers all major steps in sequence, from the initial growing period of 12 to 18 months, through harvesting (mentioning both manual and mechanical methods), crushing, purifying via a limestone filter, evaporation into syrup, centrifugation, and finally drying and cooling. However, the response lacks a proper introduction/overview paragraph that summarises the key stages overall, jumping straight into details with a colloquial opening ("as sugar is necessary for almost every sweet thing"). This restricts the task achievement score to a Band 6.0, as some features are described sequentially without an effective overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text follows a logical chronological progression that mirrors the steps in the diagram. Cohesive devices such as "First", "After 12 to 18 months", "After their harvest", and "Once the purification is done" are used to guide the reader through the process. However, the paragraphing is weak; the entire body of text is split into only two chunky paragraphs, with the second paragraph collapsing multiple distinct steps together rather than breaking them down logically. Furthermore, referencing is sometimes repetitive and mechanical ("sugar is formed", "separated from the syrup"). These organisational flaws place the response solidly at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary for describing a mechanical process, employing appropriate technical terms such as "extracted", "harvesting", "crushed", "purification", "evaporation", "centrifuged", and "crystals". However, there are notable word choice and spelling errors, such as "Ather evaporation" instead of "After evaporation", and awkward phrasing like "take the volume like syrup form". Less common lexical items are attempted, but their control is inconsistent. The range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but inaccuracies prevent it from reaching Band 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as "sugar cane takes almost 12 to 18 months to grow so that they would be able to provide much better quality for sugar." There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues, including run-on sentences with comma splices (e.g., "After 12 to 18 months sugar canes are ready for sugar extraction and harvesting process start, their harvesting can be done...") and missing articles ("the harvesting process", "the evaporation phase"). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to typify Band 5.5 or Band 6.0. Given the presence of complex clauses, a 6.0 is appropriate.

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

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