Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows how instant noodles are manufactured.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagram shows the process of manufacturing instant noodles. overall there are several stages,beginning with storing flour and ending with cooking oil, vegetables, spices, labelling and sealing the noodle cups.

First, flour is stored in large storage silos.It is then mixed with water and oil in a mixer to make dough. After that, the dough passes through a series of rollers, which make thin sheets. These sheets are then cut into long strips. Next, the noodle strips are shaped into noodle discs.

In the following stage, the noodle discs are cooked in oil and then dried. After drying, the noodles are placed into cups and the Vegetables and spices are then added to each cup to give the noodles flavour. and Finally, the cups are sealed and labelled. after that ,The finished instant noodle cups are then ready for sale and consumption.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student successfully highlights the main stages of the instant noodle manufacturing process, beginning with flour storage and concluding with sealing and labelling the final cups. Key features such as mixing, rolling, cutting, shaping, cooking in oil, drying, and adding vegetables and spices are clearly identified. However, there are minor omissions in detailing some intermediate transitions precisely, and the response falls short of the required word count by 8 words, sitting at 142 words instead of the minimum 150. This under-length penalty prevents the response from achieving a higher band score, restricting it to Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression from the beginning to the end of the manufacturing process. Information is generally well linked using sequence markers such as "First", "It is then", "After that", and "Next". Paragraphing is utilised to separate the stages of production appropriately, although some paragraphs are quite brief. Referencing is mostly clear, for instance using "These sheets" and "the noodle discs" to maintain continuity. However, cohesion can occasionally feel somewhat mechanical, justifying a solid Band 6.5 score for this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a manufacturing process, employing terms such as "storage silos", "dough", "rollers", "strips", and "flavour". There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though word choices are occasionally straightforward rather than sophisticated. A few minor mechanical errors are present, such as capitalization issues ("overall there are several stages") and fragmented punctuation ("after that ,The finished"), but these do not impede communication. The lexical range is sufficient for the task, earning a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses ("which make thin sheets") and passive voice constructions ("flour is stored", "noodles are placed"), which are appropriate for process descriptions. There are, however, noticeable grammatical and punctuation inaccuracies, including missing capitalization at the start of sentences ("overall there are"), an unnecessary comma placement ("after that ,"), and a fragmented sentence structure ("and Finally, the cups are sealed and labelled."). Despite these errors, the majority of simple structures are accurate and meaning is rarely obscured, leading to a Band 6.0 score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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