Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-26

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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates, that how sugar is made from sugar cane.

Overall, total seven main steps took place during whole process, which is growing, harvesting, crushing, purification, evaporation, seperation and last one drying and cooling.

Firstly, sugar is cultivated it takes around 12 to 18 months to become a matuare plant. After the cultivation next step is the harvesting it is usually done by labour or through a machines. After harvesting we move toward the crushing stage where a juice is being extracted from the canes. Than this liquid form of the sugar passed through a limestones to filter out the juice.

At the fourth stage, the purified juice is transfered for a evaporation where it is heated and a juice is converted into the syrup. After the evaporation process syrup is spung over a big fans to seperate a crystals from the syrup.

At the final step, a seperated sugar is dried and coolded than it is transported to a different markets in the city or sometimes exported to other countries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response gives a clear overview that the process has seven stages, and it reports the growing period, both harvesting methods, crushing, purification, evaporation, separation, and drying and cooling. These details show a sound understanding of the main sequence. However, some stages are described less fully or inaccurately: the centrifuge is described as syrup being “spung over a big fans,” whereas the diagram shows a centrifuge separating sugar crystals from syrup. The final claim that the sugar is transported to markets or exported is not shown in the visual, so it should be omitted. To strengthen the report, explain the key transformations precisely and keep every detail grounded in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged in a generally logical order, with an overview followed by the stages from cultivation to the final product. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “After harvesting,” and “At the final step” help the reader follow the process, and the paragraph breaks broadly group related information. Some linking is mechanical or unclear, however: “After the cultivation next step is the harvesting” is awkwardly connected, and “Than this liquid form…” does not clearly signal the transition from crushing to filtering. The overview also uses a list of stage names without explaining the overall transformation. Use a wider range of accurate transitions and clearer references to the juice, syrup, and crystals to make progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “cultivated,” “extracted,” “purified,” “evaporation,” and “syrup,” so the reader can understand the general production stages. It also attempts more specific terms, but several choices or spellings are inaccurate, such as “spung,” “seperate,” “matuare,” and “coolded.” Some phrases are imprecise or unnatural, including “passed through a limestones” and “big fans,” which do not accurately name the limestone filter or centrifuge. These errors reduce precision, although the main meaning is usually recoverable. Build a reliable set of process terms and check spelling, word forms, and collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

There is some variety in sentence forms, including a relative clause in “where a juice is converted into the syrup” and sequencing clauses that describe successive stages. The overall meaning remains understandable, but grammatical errors occur across the response. For example, “The diagram illustrates, that how…” has incorrect punctuation and clause structure; “total seven main steps took place” lacks an appropriate determiner and uses an unsuitable tense; and “the purified juice is transfered for a evaporation” has problems with passive form and article use. Articles and agreement are also inconsistent in phrases such as “a juice” and “a separated sugar.” Aim for accurate present simple passive constructions, for example, “the juice is heated” and “the crystals are separated,” and proofread sentence boundaries and articles.

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