Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

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

Overall, the process consists of several stages, beginning with growing of sugar cane in farms and culminating in drying and cooling of syrup. It is a linear process, which results in production of sugar.

The first step is growing of sugar canes, which takes approximately 12 to 18 months. After the sugar cane is ready, it is harvested by hand or by using tractors. Step three involves passing sugar cane through a machine which then comes out as juice. The juice is then purified using a Limestone filter.

Furthermore, the purified juice is then evaporated using heat, to transform it into syrup. The next step is centrifuge, which separates sugar crystal from syrup. Finally, the syrup is dried and cooled, which results in sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main stages in the correct order, include the growing period of 12–18 months, and report both harvesting methods and the key processing steps. The overview also recognises the process as linear. However, it misstates the final product: the diagram shows sugar crystals being separated from syrup, then sugar being dried and cooled, whereas your overview says drying and cooling syrup and the final sentence again describes syrup being dried. Some stages, especially crushing and centrifuging, are only briefly described. The response is also below the required 150 words: it contains 127 words, with nine words copied from the prompt excluded. Add detail about the outputs at each stage and clarify the final sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a clear sequence, with an introduction, an overview, and two paragraphs covering the stages from cultivation through processing. Time and sequence markers such as “The first step,” “Furthermore,” “The next step,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. This coherent organisation is a strength. To make the progression more natural and precise, avoid relying on a list-like series of stage markers and use clearer links between each input and output. For example, explain explicitly that crushing produces juice, which is purified before evaporation. The overview’s reference to “drying and cooling of syrup” also weakens the connection between the summary and the final stages described later.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “harvested,” “purified,” “evaporated,” and “centrifuge,” and the meaning is generally clear. Some choices are imprecise or repetitive, however. “A machine which then comes out as juice” does not clearly identify what comes out; say that the cane is crushed to extract juice. “Sugar crystal” would be more naturally expressed as “sugar crystals,” and “Limestone filter” should not be capitalised mid-sentence. The repeated use of “syrup” in the final stages also reflects an inaccurate description of the product being dried and cooled. More precise terms for the material at each stage would improve control and clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including the relative clause in “a machine which then comes out as juice” and the purpose construction “using heat, to transform it into syrup.” Most sentences are understandable, and errors do not prevent the reader from following the sequence. Some grammatical choices are awkward: “beginning with growing of sugar cane” and “The first step is growing of sugar canes” need an article or a gerund construction, such as “the growing of sugar cane” or “growing sugar cane.” The clause about the machine also has an unclear subject, and the comma before “to transform” is unnecessary. Aim for more consistently controlled sentence patterns while retaining this range.

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

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