Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-11

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 process diagram illustrates the complete process of making sugar from sugar canes.

The process includes all 7 steps from growing the sugar canes to squezing juice out of them to drying and cooling the finished product.

The initial step is growing the sugar canes which takes somewhere 12 - 18 months to properly grow. The second step is harvesting the grown sugar canes which can be done by either farmers or by using machines. After collecting the sugar canes they are crushed to squeeze their juice, which is purified by using limestone filters. This purified juice is put in hot container called the evaporators, where the juice becomes syrup and the excess water is vapourized. This syrup is entered into another machine which uses centrifugal force to seperate the sugar crystals from the syrup. The final step is drying the crystals and cooling them off so they are ready to use.

By completing all the necessary steps the sugar is produced from the sugar canes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the full sequence and give a clear overview that the process has seven stages, from growing the cane to drying and cooling the sugar. Relevant details are included, such as the 12–18-month growing period, the two harvesting methods, limestone purification, evaporation and separation of crystals. The account is generally accurate, but some points are less fully reported: for example, the diagram shows juice passing through a limestone filter, while the response refers to “limestone filters,” and the final product is not explicitly identified as sugar until the closing sentence. The overview could also highlight the main transformation from cane to juice, syrup and crystals. More precise reporting of these stages would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the process in a sensible order, and the paragraphing separates the introduction, overview and detailed sequence. Time and sequence markers such as “The initial step,” “The second step,” “After collecting,” and “The final step” help the reader follow the stages. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical because most details are linked in one long paragraph using repeated “which” clauses and “and.” The final sentence repeats the general point that sugar is produced rather than adding a new detail. You could improve cohesion by grouping the stages into clearer phases—for example, cultivation and extraction, followed by purification and processing—and using concise transitions between them. This would make the organisation feel more deliberate.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “purified,” “evaporators,” “syrup,” and “centrifugal force,” which helps explain the stages clearly. Some less common terms are attempted, although a few choices are imprecise or awkward: “farmers” is less exact than describing harvesting by hand, and “hot container” is a vague description of the evaporator. There are also spelling errors in “squezing,” “seperate,” and “vapourized,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for precise process terms and check spelling, especially for technical vocabulary. For instance, “the juice is heated in an evaporator” is clearer and more natural than “put in hot container called the evaporators.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “After collecting the sugar canes they are crushed to squeeze their juice” and “where the juice becomes syrup.” Most of the sequence remains understandable, and the response shows some control of passive constructions appropriate to a process description. Some grammatical issues remain, however. In “The initial step is growing the sugar canes which takes,” the relative clause is awkwardly attached; “growing the sugar cane, which takes…” would be better. “This purified juice is put in hot container” is missing an article, and “This syrup is entered into another machine” uses an unsuitable passive pattern. More consistent use of accurate passive forms would strengthen the otherwise clear account.

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.