Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-30

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 represent the manufacturingprocess for making sugar from sugar cane from the start to finish.

This procuss include 7 steps to be completed and it take more then 12 month to even start the producation.

The first step is growing the sugar cane after planting them which takes between 12 to 18 months to be ready to harvest, that's the secend step for this procuss and it could be done by a tracktor which result in a faster harvesting time or by a farmer with a slower pace but more percise harvesting, following by taking these sugar cane to a crushing machine that turn them to juice.

After that we get to purifying the juice by putting it through a limestone filter, following this we put the remaining juice into a evaporater to turn juice into syrup by using heat, by that we have to make it centrifuge by separating sugar from syrup, for it to finally dry and cool off to make sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from growing sugar cane through harvesting, crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifuging, and drying and cooling. The growing period of 12–18 months and the two harvesting methods are also accurately included. This gives the reader a relevant account of the process. However, there is no distinct overview that summarises the process as a whole, such as noting that it has seven stages and transforms cane into sugar. Some details are less fully explained: for example, the centrifuge separates sugar crystals from the remaining syrup, rather than simply “separating sugar from syrup.” The claim that the process takes “more than 12 month to even start” is unclear, since the diagram shows that growing takes 12–18 months before harvesting begins. A clearer overview and more precise stage descriptions would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in the correct general order, and sequencing expressions such as “The first step,” “After that,” and “following this” help the reader follow the process. The response also moves from cultivation and harvesting to the later processing stages without going off topic. However, the information is compressed into two paragraphs, with most of the process placed in one long paragraph and several stages joined into a single sentence. This makes the progression feel mechanical and some links, such as “by that we have to make it centrifuge,” are difficult to follow. Use a separate overview and organise the stages into clearer groups, while varying linking phrases and making each transition explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “crushing machine,” “limestone filter,” “evaporator,” and “centrifuge,” which helps communicate the stages. There is also some attempt at more specific description, such as contrasting mechanical harvesting with harvesting by a farmer. However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate or informal: “make it centrifuge” does not describe the action naturally, and “more precise harvesting” is not a feature stated in the diagram. Spelling errors such as “procuss,” “produ cation,” and “secend” (as written) also reduce control. Aim for accurate process collocations and consistent spelling; for example, say that the juice “is spun in a centrifuge” and that the crystals are separated from the syrup.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which takes between 12 to 18 months” and a contrast between the two harvesting methods. The overall meaning is generally recoverable, but grammatical errors occur in several sentence patterns. For example, “The diagram represent” has subject–verb disagreement, while “it take” and “that turn them to juice” also need agreement. Articles and sentence construction are problematic in “into a evaporater” and “by that we have to make it centrifuge.” The opening sentence is also joined to the next idea without a clear sentence boundary. Practise accurate present-simple descriptions, articles, and shorter sentence structures before adding longer clauses.

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