Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the step by steps process of producing sugar from sugar cane. This process involves 7 steps.

The first step is growing the sugar canes. It can take 12 to 18 months to have fully grown sugar canes.

The second step shows two different approaches of harvesting. One of them is manual and another one is automated using machine. The manual method requires human to cut down the sugar canes using sharp object and collect them. It will take both human effort and time. On the other hand, the automated process is completed by a machine. The machine cuts all the sugar canes in the area as well as collects them. This automated way needs less time and effort.

The third steps is to crush the collected sugarcanes using a crusher machine and convert these into juice.

In the fourth step, a limestone filter is used to purify the juice.

Then in the fifth step,evaporator is used to convert the juice into syrup. The juice is put into the evaporator and the eveporator is put in the heat. Following this method, the juice turns into syrup.

After converting the juice into syrup, in the sixth step, the centrifuge is used to separating sugar crustals from the syrup.

The last step includes drying and cooling the sugar to make it ready to consume.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of sugar cane processing from growing to cooling. However, some parts are developed more fully than others. For instance, the harvesting stage is described with considerable detail regarding manual versus automated methods, whereas later stages like the centrifuge or drying and cooling are treated rather briefly. An overall summary or overview of the whole linear sequence is missing at the beginning or end of the response, which prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, the main features of the diagram are successfully identified and reported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a logical step-by-step progression that follows the chronological order of the diagram. Cohesive devices are employed to link the stages, such as 'The first step is', 'The second step shows', 'In the fourth step', and 'Then in the fifth step'. Paragraphing is used, though it tends toward a micro-paragraph structure for almost every single step rather than grouping related phases together. Referencing is generally clear, and the overall progression makes the process easy to follow, though paragraphing could be managed more effectively to show a higher level of cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the basic steps of the process using terms like 'automated', 'crusher machine', 'purify', and 'evaporator'. However, there are noticeable word choice and spelling errors that reflect a limited range and occasional inaccuracy. For example, the student writes 'step by steps process' instead of 'step-by-step process', 'sugar crustals' instead of 'crystals', and 'eveporator' as a spelling slip. Less common lexical items are attempted with varying degrees of success, and these minor inaccuracies prevent the vocabulary from achieving a higher rating.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response shows a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable attempt to describe actions and conditions. There are several grammatical errors present, such as missing articles ('using machine', 'put in the heat'), pluralization issues ('The third steps is'), and prepositional errors ('used to separating' instead of 'used to separate'). Despite these errors in grammar and punctuation, the meaning is generally clear and they rarely impede communication. To improve further, greater control over verb patterns and article usage is needed across complex sentence structures.

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