Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-04

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 displays the manufacturing of sugar from sugar cane.

Production of sugar is 7 steps process involving

the procedures such as growing, harvesting, crushing, purifying, evaporation, centrifugation, drying and cooling.

Sugar cane takes 12-18 months to grow. After that it is harvested either by the use of machine or by hands of farmer. The harvested sugar cane is then crushed to obtain juice. Juice is purified from limestone filter and extract is collected in a containor.

The extract which is filtered out is now allow to heat so that excess water is evaporated which converted juice into syrup. In the next step, centrifugation is done to separate the sugar crystals from syrup. The centrifuged mixture is then dried and cooled to obtain the sugar.

It is the automated proces. The growing of sugar cane is the longest process taking almost 18 months.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence from growing through drying and cooling, and correctly include the 12–18-month growing period and the two harvesting methods. However, the overview is limited: the opening lists stages rather than summarising the process as a whole, and the final claim that production is “automated” is not fully accurate because harvesting may also be done by hand. Some process details are unclear or imprecise, such as saying juice is “purified from limestone filter” and that the “extract” is collected. The response is also 7 words below the required minimum. To strengthen the report, give a clear overview of the transformation from cane to sugar and describe each stage precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in the correct order, and phrases such as “After that,” “In the next step,” and “then” help the reader follow the process. The paragraphing is limited, however, and the opening sentence about the seven steps is separated awkwardly across lines. Some links between stages are not sufficiently clear: for example, “The extract which is filtered out” makes it difficult to identify whether this means the purified juice or material removed by the filter. The final comments about automation and growing time also feel appended rather than integrated into a concluding overview. Group the introduction and overview together, then describe the stages in a clearly connected sequence, using precise references to the juice, syrup, and crystals.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “crushed,” “evaporated,” “syrup,” “centrifugation,” and “sugar crystals,” which allows you to describe the main stages. Some choices are inaccurate or awkward, though: “purified from limestone filter” does not clearly express filtration through limestone, while “extract” is not the best term for the liquid collected. There are also spelling and word-form slips, including “containor” and “proces,” and “by hands of farmer” is an unnatural phrase. These do not prevent the reader from understanding the general process, but more precise collocations and careful proofreading would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and some longer structures, such as “After that it is harvested either by the use of machine or by hands of farmer,” so there is some variety. However, several grammatical errors remain. The opening says “7 steps process,” and “the extract … is now allow to heat” has an incorrect verb form; later, “which converted juice into syrup” also lacks the correct verb construction. Articles and agreement need attention in phrases such as “by the use of machine” and “the longest process taking almost 18 months.” These errors do not usually prevent understanding, but they make parts of the description less fluent. Practise accurate passive forms and check articles and verb forms when editing.

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