Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-02

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 given pictures explain the sugarcane manufacturing process step by step. From the picture we can see that the first step is to let sugarcane grow for twelve to eighteen months to let it fully mature. After letting sugarcane grow fully we can harvest it by either using machine or by manual labour. Machines work faster compared to manual labour however, manual labour is comparatively cheaper. At the same time manual labour can take up multiple days even weeks compared to machine harvesting. When the harvesting is done, the process of crushing sugarcane begins to squeeze out the juice. The collected juice is then processed and purified using a limestone filter. Then, the purified juice is transformed into syrup by heating it in the evaporator. The syrup is processed by separating sugar crystals from syrup with the help of Centrifuge. To make the final sugar product, the drying and cooling process is done at last.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence, from the 12–18-month growing period through harvesting, crushing, purification, evaporation, centrifuging, and final drying and cooling. The growing duration and the limestone filter are accurately reported, and the response remains focused on the process. However, the overview is not clearly separated or stated, and some details are added that the diagram does not show: for example, that machine harvesting is faster, manual labour is cheaper, and hand harvesting may take days or weeks. These comparisons are unsupported. The final stages could also be described more precisely by noting that centrifuging separates sugar crystals from syrup. A concise overview of the process and closer reliance on visible information would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and sequencing phrases such as “first,” “After,” “When the harvesting is done,” and “Then” help the reader follow the process. The response also maintains a clear focus from cultivation to the final product. However, it is written as one continuous paragraph, so the overview and detailed stages are not distinguished. Some transitions are repetitive or mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “then” and “process.” The sentence beginning “Machines work faster” interrupts the process sequence with unsupported commentary. Grouping the stages into an introduction/overview and a body, and using more varied links between stages, would improve progression and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “harvest,” “crushing,” “purified,” “evaporator,” “syrup,” and “centrifuge,” which makes the production stages understandable. Some less common terms are used appropriately, especially “limestone filter.” However, several expressions are imprecise or repetitive: “sugarcane manufacturing process” is less natural than describing sugar production from sugar cane, and “the process of crushing sugarcane begins to squeeze out the juice” is wordy. “The syrup is processed by separating” is also an awkward collocation, since the centrifuge separates crystals from syrup. Aim for concise, precise process language and avoid adding comparisons that are not shown in the diagram.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes both simple sentences and more complex forms, such as “After letting sugarcane grow fully we can harvest it…” and “Machines work faster compared to manual labour however…”. Most meanings remain clear, and the sequence is generally expressed with appropriate present-tense forms. Some grammatical control is less secure: “using machine” needs an article or plural form, and the sentence joining “however” to the preceding clause needs clearer punctuation, such as a full stop or semicolon. The opening also shifts into “we can see,” which is less suitable than a direct report of the diagram. Continue practising article use and punctuation around linking adverbs, while varying sentence structures accurately.

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