Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-17

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 process diagram illustrates the procedure by which sugarcane is used to produce sugar.

Overall, it can be seen clealy that the sugar production involves seven stages, begining with the cultivation and harvesting of sugarcane and ending with the drying and cooling of the sugar crystals.

Looking into the first four stages, the growth of sugarcane completts in 12 to 18 months. Then harvesting is being done by any method whether manually or by using machinery. Afterwards, the harvested sugarcane is crushed into juice which is later purified by using limestone filler.

Turning to the remaining stages, the purified juice is then converted into syrup with the help of evaporator. The evaporator works through a heating system and resulted into a fine syrup. Subsequently, centrifugation takes place to separate sugar crystals from the syrup. At the end, sugar crystals dryed and then cooled before reaching to the final packaging stage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the process from cultivation through to drying and cooling, and the overview correctly identifies seven stages and the overall start and end points. Several key details are also accurate, including the 12–18-month growing period, the two harvesting methods, crushing, limestone filtration, evaporation and centrifugation. This gives the report a clear, relevant account of the diagram. However, the final claim that the sugar is packaged is not shown, and the description of the centrifuge could explain more clearly that it separates crystals from syrup. The overview and stage coverage are strong, but these unsupported or under-explained details keep the account from being fully precise and developed throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs that divide the early and later stages. This creates a generally logical progression, and linking expressions such as “Then,” “Afterwards,” “Subsequently” and “At the end” help the reader follow the sequence. The division into the first four and remaining stages is also useful. At times, however, the linking feels mechanical, and “Looking into” and “Turning to” do not add much to the process description. The final sentence introduces packaging abruptly, disrupting the otherwise clear sequence because this stage is not in the diagram. More direct transitions and tighter reference to the illustrated stages would make cohesion more flexible and precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “cultivation,” “harvesting,” “purified,” “evaporator” and “centrifugation,” which helps describe the stages clearly. Some less common choices are attempted, but several are inaccurate or awkward: “limestone filler” should be “limestone filter,” while “fine syrup” is not a natural description of the product. There are also spelling errors such as “clealy,” “begining,” “completts” and “dryed.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and control. Aim for accurate technical terms and natural collocations rather than adding descriptive wording that is not supported by the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the overview clause “beginning with … and ending with …” and the passive construction “is then converted into syrup.” The sequence remains understandable, but some grammatical errors persist. For example, “the growth of sugarcane completts” needs a suitable verb form, and “harvesting is being done” is an awkward tense choice for describing a general process. In “the evaporator works through a heating system and resulted into,” the verb forms do not match, and “sugar crystals dryed and then cooled” lacks the auxiliary needed for a passive construction. More consistent present-simple passives would improve accuracy while preserving the range of structures.

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