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 given process diagram illustrates the manufacturing process of sugar and how sugar is produces from sugar cane.

Overall, it can be seen that it is a man-made process and it consists of seven stages. The process starts with farming of sugar canes and ends with drying and cooling of sugar. During the process, two methods are used for harvesting sugar canes.

The process begins with the farming and growing of sugar canes which takes around 12 to 18 months. Next, these sugar canes are harvested by two methods, one is by machinery and second is by humans. Then, harvested canes are inserted into the machine so that sugary juice can be collected from the canes. After that, the juice is passes through purification stage where it is getting purified in limestone filter.

In the next state, purified juice is sent to evaporator where juice becomes syrup by the heat. Subsequently, this syrup is passes through centrifuge process which separates sugar crystals from syrup and sugar is made. Finally, sugar is sent for the drying and cooling process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing an overview and summarizing the main stages of the sugar production process. The selection of features is generally good, mentioning the seven main stages from growing to drying and cooling, and noting the two harvesting methods. However, some aspects of the process are slightly under-developed or touch upon details without fully explaining their functional context, such as the exact role of the evaporator or centrifuge beyond basic translation of the diagram labels. To reach a higher level, the response needs to extend the description of individual steps with more precise detail and integrated comparisons or relationships between stages, avoiding minor gaps in the full coverage of mechanical interactions shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from the beginning to the end of the manufacturing process. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to break the text into an introduction, an overview, and distinct body paragraphs detailing the sequential steps. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall', 'The process begins with', 'Next', 'After that', and 'Finally' are utilized to guide the reader through the stages, though some transitional phrasing feels slightly mechanical or repetitive ('In the next state', 'Subsequently, this syrup is passes'). Referencing is generally clear, but smoother integration and a wider variety of cohesive ties would elevate the organizational control to the next band.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the sequence of industrial steps with words like 'manufacturing', 'harvesting', 'crushing', 'purifying', and 'centrifuge'. The student attempts less common vocabulary with mixed success, showing good effort in describing the process ('sugary juice', 'sugar crystals'). However, there are notable word-form and spelling errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'produces' instead of 'produced', 'passes' instead of 'passed' (verb tense/form slip), and 'state' instead of 'stage'. These inaccuracies do not impede overall communication, but they highlight the need for greater precision in lexical selection and morphological control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over standard structures needed to describe a linear process (e.g., relative clauses and passive constructions like 'is passes through purification stage' and 'juice becomes syrup by the heat'). There are some grammatical errors in verb forms, prepositions, and articles—such as 'farming of sugar canes', 'is passes', and missing articles before singular countable nouns. While these errors occur regularly, they rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear. To achieve a higher band, the writer would need to produce a wider variety of complex structures with greater grammatical accuracy and fewer slips in passive voice formation.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.