Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The process diagram illustrates how sugar is produced from sugar cane. Producers has to undergo through seven different stages including machin works as well as man-power.

The primary stage is the sugarcane it self because they must be grown atleast a year and half. then with the help of a variety of machine and hand-work, the sugar is finally extracted.

Initially,farmers let sugarcanes grow for at least one or one and haft year which is crucial for sugarcane to be sufficiently mature. The next step is harvesting which is done by a harvesting tractor or by human. After harvesting, the sugarcanes goes through a crushing process by which, every drop of sugarcane juice are extracted. The extracted juice will go through a filtering process called "limestone filter".

Next process is to evaporate the juice to make a concentraded syrup from the juice. After that, centrifugel force is applied to form sugar crystal. Finally, sugar is made and will be store in a container to be dried and cooled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a sequence and report most of its main stages, from growing and harvesting through crushing, filtering, evaporation, centrifuging, and drying. The overview also recognises that both machinery and manual work are involved. However, some details are unclear or inaccurate: the cane grows for 12–18 months, not necessarily “at least one or one and haft year,” and the final stage is drying and cooling, rather than sugar being stored in a container for those purposes. The explanation of centrifuging should clarify that it separates sugar crystals from the remaining syrup. A more precise overview of the transformation from cane to juice, syrup, and crystals would make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable sequence, supported by markers such as “Initially,” “The next step,” “After harvesting,” and “Finally.” The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and the paragraph break helps distinguish the introduction from the process description. However, the opening includes two short overview paragraphs that repeat the idea of growing and extracting sugar, while the later stages are compressed into one paragraph. Some links between steps are mechanical, and the reference in “After that” could be more specific. Organise the response into a concise introduction and overview followed by clearly grouped stages, using transitions that show how each material changes.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “harvesting,” “crushing,” “filtering,” “evaporate,” and “centrifugal force,” so the reader can follow the general production method. There are also attempts at more specific terms, such as “limestone filter” and “sugar crystal.” However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward: “machin works,” “man-power,” “concentraded syrup,” and “centrifugel force.” “Every drop of sugarcane juice are extracted” is also an imprecise way to describe crushing. Aim for accurate collocations such as “mechanical harvesting,” “manual harvesting,” “the juice is filtered,” and “the syrup is spun in a centrifuge.” Check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You communicate the sequence using both simple sentences and some longer structures, for example, “The next step is harvesting which is done by a harvesting tractor or by human.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and punctuation occur often enough to make the writing uneven. Examples include “Producers has to undergo through,” “the sugarcanes goes,” and “juice are extracted.” The opening also has a sentence fragment: “The primary stage is the sugarcane it self because they must be grown…” Capitalisation after full stops and spacing after commas are inconsistent. Practise forming complete sentences and checking subject–verb agreement, while using a few accurate passive constructions to describe the stages.

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