Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-08

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 pictorial representation illustrates the manufacturing process for obtaining sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it is a largely mechanical process with minimal human involvement, consisting of seven main stages. It begins with the growing of sugarcane, which takes 12 to 18 months to mature, and ends with drying and cooling to obtain sugar crystals. It is a lengthy and complex process.

To begin with, sugarcane is grown for 12 to 18 months until it reaches maturity. Following this, when sugar cane is mature it is harvested by the farmers and then it sorted and cleaned using harvester machine. After this, the cleaned sugarcane sticks crushed using crushing machine to produce juice, this stage is known as crushing. Then, in purifying stage the sugarcane juice go through limestone filter to get pure juice liquid.

In the next stage, evaporation is done as pure juice is stored in container and heated to converts juice into syrup. Following this, the syrup is poured into centrifuge rotation machine where it separated to sugar crystals. Finally, the sugar crystals are dry and cool in bucket with hole and pure sugar is obtained.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the full sequence and gives a clear overview: it identifies seven stages, includes the 12–18-month growing period, and describes sugar as the final product. The main stages—harvesting, crushing, filtering, heating, centrifuging, and drying/cooling—are all represented, so the account is well focused on the diagram. Some details, however, go beyond or differ from the visual: the cane is not shown being “sorted and cleaned,” and the final equipment is not specified as a “bucket with hole.” The overview also calls the process minimally human, although harvesting is shown both mechanically and by hand. Keep the useful summary, but distinguish clearly between what the diagram depicts and what is inferred.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The organisation is clear and easy to follow. A separate overview is followed by a chronological account, and sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Following this,” “In the next stage,” and “Finally” guide the reader through the process. Paragraphing also helps distinguish the overview from the detailed stages. The progression is generally logical, although some transitions are repetitive and the long sentence beginning “After this” combines harvesting, cleaning, and crushing in a way that blurs the stage boundaries. Use transitions selectively and give each major stage a clear sentence or clause; this would make the links more flexible and the sequence even more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

There is a useful range of process vocabulary, including “manufacturing process,” “mature,” “limestone filter,” “evaporation,” “syrup,” and “centrifuge.” These terms help convey the technical sequence, and the meaning remains clear overall. However, some choices are imprecise or awkwardly collocated: “pictorial representation” is less natural than “diagram,” “pure juice liquid” is redundant, and “centrifuge rotation machine” is not an idiomatic description. “Bucket with hole” also adds an unsupported detail rather than naming the stage shown. This performance shows adequate range and some technical specificity; to develop greater flexibility and precision, favour concise process terms and avoid repeating “sugarcane” where “the cane” or “the juice” is clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts both simple and complex structures, including the overview sentence with “which takes 12 to 18 months” and the time clause “when sugar cane is mature.” However, errors in verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction are frequent enough to limit accuracy. Examples include “it sorted and cleaned,” “sticks crushed,” “juice go,” “heated to converts,” “it separated,” and “crystals are dry and cool.” Several clauses also run together, particularly the sentence beginning “After this,” making the relationships between actions less controlled. Practise complete passive forms for process descriptions—for example, “the cane is crushed” and “the juice is heated”—and check subject–verb agreement and infinitive forms when editing.

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