Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-03

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 6.5)

The graphic illustrates the process of how sugar is produced from sugar cane.

Overall, it is a seven-stage, man-made, linear process. It begins with reaping of sugar canes after it reaches to full growth and then moving through various process to finally manufacture sugar.

First of all, the growing period of a sugar cane is almost 12 to 18 months. After they are fully grown, the sugar cane is harvested by two methods. One is to cut down manually or by the help of tracktor. After that, sugar canes are crushed to make juice. The juice is then purified by passing through a limestone filter, leaving behind all impurities.

Followed by, the purified juice is processed into the evaporator that is heated below in order to convert the juice into the syrup. Subsequently, the syrup is circulated in a centrifugal machine which separates the sugar crystals from the syrup. Ultimately, the resulting syrup is then dried and cooled down to finally produce sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing an accurate and clear overview of the sugar manufacturing process. The writer covers all seven stages from growing to the final drying and cooling phase, highlighting the main features such as the two harvesting methods and the use of a limestone filter. There is a clear overall trend established, describing it as a seven-stage, man-made, linear process. However, some ideas could be extended further or supported with slightly more detail to reach a higher level of development, such as elaborating on the mechanical crusher or the exact function of the centrifugal machine. Nonetheless, the core information is well-selected and reported accurately, fully satisfying the requirements for this band level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. The writer effectively guides the reader from the beginning to the end of the linear process using a suitable introduction and a well-structured overview. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different phases of the production cycle. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'After that', and 'Subsequently' are employed to connect ideas, though there is a slight mechanical feel to some of the transitions, such as 'Followed by, the purified juice...'. Pronoun referencing is generally clear, and the overall progression is maintained smoothly from stage to stage, reflecting a solid command of structural flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an appropriate range for discussing industrial processes. The writer attempts less common lexical items such as 'man-made', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'centrifugal machine' with general success. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'tracktor' instead of tractor, and slight awkwardness in phrasing like 'reaping of sugar canes after it reaches to full growth'. These lexical slips and minor spelling errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band. A greater precision in collocation and a wider variety of specialized terms would elevate the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures appropriately for a process description, such as 'the juice is then purified' and 'the resulting syrup is then dried and cooled down'. There are some grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and prepositions, such as 'after it reaches to full growth' instead of 'after it reaches full growth', and issues with singular and plural agreement like 'the sugar cane is harvested' followed by 'One is to cut down manually or by the help of tracktor'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while these errors persist, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the text without difficulty.

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