Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The process illustrates the steps involved in producing sugar from sugar cane.

Overall, it comprises seven major steps. It begins with the growing and harvesting of sugar cane and culminates in the production of dry and cool sugar. Sugar cane's juice is purified to make syrup and then it is centrifuged to get sugar crystals.

The first step is to grow the sugar canes and these plants take 12-18 months to become mature. Secondly, it is harvested by two methods; either by man or by using tractor for its cutting. These harvested sugar canes are then crushed by passing it through the machine to make its juice.

A limestone filter is used to purify the juice; meanwhile, its evaporation is done to extract syrup. For this, an evaporator is used which evaporates the excess liquid leaving behind the syrup. Syrup is further centrifuged to separate sugar crystals from the syrup. Lastly, these crystals are dried and cooled to get final product, sugar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response gives a clear account of the process and identifies its seven stages, including the 12–18-month growing period, the two harvesting methods, purification, evaporation, centrifuging, and final drying and cooling. The overview effectively captures the sequence and the transformation from cane juice to sugar crystals. Most details match the diagram, and the explanation of the limestone filter and evaporator is relevant. To make the account more fully precise, avoid adding unsupported detail: the diagram labels the evaporator as turning juice into syrup but does not specify that it removes “excess liquid.” Also, “dry and cool sugar” is less exact than describing the final stage as drying and cooling the crystals. Overall, the main features are selected and reported clearly, with only minor imprecision.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into a brief introduction, a useful overview, and two chronological paragraphs that follow the process from cultivation to the finished product. Sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “The first step,” “Secondly,” and “Lastly” make the progression easy to follow, and the final paragraph groups the later processing stages logically. Some linking is less natural or precise: “meanwhile” suggests simultaneous actions, although purification and evaporation occur in sequence, and “For this” has an unclear reference. The repeated use of “these” and “its” also makes a few references slightly awkward. More precise transitions, such as “After purification” and “The juice is then heated,” would make cohesion smoother while preserving the clear overall organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for describing a manufacturing process, with relevant terms such as “purified,” “evaporator,” “centrifuged,” and “crystals.” The writer also uses process language such as “culminates” and “separate,” showing some range beyond basic sequencing. However, several choices are imprecise or awkwardly collocated: “by man” is less suitable than “by hand,” “dry and cool sugar” does not naturally describe the final stage, and “extract syrup” is not the clearest way to express the change from juice to syrup. Repetition of “sugar cane,” “juice,” and “syrup” is understandable in this technical description, but some variation and more exact process vocabulary would improve flexibility and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and more complex structures, including the overview sentence “It begins with … and culminates in …” and the clause “which evaporates the excess liquid.” Most sentences communicate the process clearly, and the sequence is generally expressed with appropriate present-tense forms. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain. In “these plants take 12-18 months to become mature,” the plural subject is understandable, but “the cane takes” would be more controlled; “it is harvested by two methods” also has an unclear pronoun reference after the plural “sugar canes.” In “These harvested sugar canes are then crushed by passing it through the machine,” the pronoun should agree with the plural subject, or the sentence should be recast. Greater control of agreement and reference would strengthen accuracy.

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