Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-05

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 diagram illustrates the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it is clear that it contains 7 stages, beginning with growing plants of sugar canes and ending with drying and cooling sugar. The central stage involves crushing the cane to extract juice, which is then purified and heated to produce sugar crystals.

To begin with, sugar canes are grown for 12-18 months. After, the cane is harvested, either by machine or by hand. Once sugar cane is harvested it is then crushed using a machine, which produce juice. This juice is passed through a limestone filter in order to purify it.

Following purification, the juice is placed inside evaporator and heated so that juice can turn into syrup. This syrup is transferred into centrifuge, which separates the sugar crystals from remaining liquid syrup. Finally, these sugar crystals undergo a drying and cooling process, resulting in the finished sugar product.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main steps of the sugar manufacturing process from growing to cooling. An effective overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the total number of stages and the core transformation from cane to crystals. However, the length requirement is not met, as the response contains 143 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum (9 words copied from the prompt were excluded). While the key stages are identified, some steps, such as the dual harvesting methods or the specifics of the centrifuge, could be extended further to achieve a fully developed response, placing this criterion solidly in the middle bands.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information flows naturally from the initial cultivation stage through harvesting, processing, and final cooling, mirroring the diagram's sequence. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with an introduction and overview followed by chronological body paragraphs. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'After', 'Once', and 'Finally' are employed to connect the stages, although referencing and transitions occasionally feel slightly mechanical, preventing the text from reaching the highest bands.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process description, incorporating terms such as 'manufacturing process', 'extract', 'purified', 'evaporator', and 'centrifuge'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary with minor inaccuracies or omissions in word choice and article usage, such as omitting articles in phrases like 'placed inside evaporator' and 'transferred into centrifuge'. These lexical slips do not impede communication, allowing the response to comfortably meet the requirements for this level while stopping short of a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used effectively throughout the text, including passive constructions like 'sugar canes are grown' and 'the juice is passed through', which are appropriate for a process description. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly missing articles ('placed inside evaporator', 'transferred into centrifuge') and a minor subject-verb agreement slip ('which produce juice' instead of 'produces'). However, these errors occur alongside error-free sentences and rarely impede communication, reflecting a solid command of sentence structures.

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

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