Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-28

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 the complete process of manufacturing sugar from sugar canes.

Overall, the process involves the seven sequential stages, beginning with the cultivation of sugar canes including growing, harvesting, crushing the crop and transformed into juice .However, ending on formation of crystals from syrup. In the whole process, stages are depend on each other for the production of sugar.

In the process, first stage involves growing of sugar cane within 12 to 18 months. In second stage, crops are harvested by the farmers. At third stage, curshing machine converted these sugar canes into juice then purifying the juice with the help of limestone filter.

Next, the juice is converted in the form of thick syrup in an evporator at a high tempurature after that the process of centrifugation converted syrup into crystals. Finally, these crystals are dried and ready for sale in market.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the diagram as a sugar-making process and include several key stages, including the 12–18-month growing period, crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifugation, and drying. However, the overview is unclear: it says the process ends with crystal formation, while the diagram’s final stage is drying and cooling. The harvesting methods are also simplified to “farmers,” although the diagram shows both mechanical and manual harvesting. Some process details are imprecise, such as saying the syrup becomes crystals without explaining that the centrifuge separates sugar crystals from syrup. The response is also six words below the required minimum. To improve, give a precise overview of the full sequence and report the important distinctions shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological account of the stages. Sequencing expressions such as “first,” “In second stage,” “Next,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. However, the overview is difficult to interpret because it combines several stages in one sentence and then gives an incomplete ending. The transition from purification to evaporation and centrifugation is compressed into a long sentence, while the final paragraph contains several steps without clear separation. Some linking is mechanical, and punctuation around “juice .However” interrupts the flow. Use one clear overview sentence, then group the stages into well-punctuated sentences with accurate links between them.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “cultivation,” “limestone filter,” “syrup,” “centrifugation,” and “crystals,” which helps convey the subject. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “complete process of manufacturing,” “stages are depend,” and “ready for sale in market.” There are also noticeable spelling errors in “curshing,” “evporator,” and “tempurature.” “Farmers” is less precise than describing the two harvesting methods shown. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the general process, but they limit precision. Aim for accurate process collocations and check spelling, especially for technical terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts both simple and more complex structures, including a relative clause in “syrup … after that the process of centrifugation…” and sequencing clauses across the process. However, several grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “stages are depend on each other” has an incorrect verb form, and “crushing the crop and transformed into juice” lacks parallel structure. The sentence beginning “At third stage” also shifts awkwardly from the machine converting cane to “then purifying” the juice. Articles and sentence boundaries need attention, as in “In second stage” and “juice .However.” Use consistent passive forms for process descriptions, such as “the canes are crushed,” and divide long sequences into complete, accurately punctuated sentences.

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

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