Academic Writing Task 1 · process diagram

The Manufacturing Process for Producing Sugar from Sugar Cane

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. Write at least 150 words.

  1. 1.Growing sugar canes for 12-18 months
  2. 2.Harvesting sugar canes
  3. 3.Crushing sugar canes to extract juice
  4. 4.Purifying juice using a limestone filter
  5. 5.Evaporating juice into syrup using heat
  6. 6.Centrifuging to separate sugar crystals from syrup
  7. 7.Drying and cooling to produce sugar

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Band 8 sample answer

The provided diagram illustrates the various stages involved in the commercial production of sugar from sugar cane. Overall, the process is a linear sequence consisting of seven distinct steps, starting from the initial agricultural phase and concluding with the final refinement of the product.

The process commences with the cultivation of sugar canes, which requires a period of 12 to 18 months to reach maturity. Once grown, the canes are harvested, either manually or by machinery. Following the harvest, the canes undergo a crushing stage, which extracts the raw juice from the plant material. This juice is then passed through a limestone filter to purify it, ensuring the removal of impurities.

In the subsequent stages, the purified juice is transferred to an evaporator where it is heated until it transforms into a thick syrup. This syrup is then processed in a centrifuge, a critical step that separates the sugar crystals from the remaining liquid. Finally, the extracted sugar crystals undergo a drying and cooling process, which results in the finished sugar product ready for use. The entire cycle transforms raw agricultural produce into a refined commodity through a combination of mechanical and thermal treatments.

194 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about process diagrams

commences
to begin or start a particular process
subsequent
coming after something else in a sequence
illustrates
to show or explain something using pictures
consisting of
to be made up of specific parts
concluding
to bring something to an end
transformation
a thorough or dramatic change in form

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The production of sugar from sugar cane is a seven-stage linear process that begins with cultivation and ends with the final drying and cooling of sugar crystals.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How do I describe process diagrams?

Say how many stages there are and where the process starts and ends. Use the passive and sequencers: first, after this, once, finally. Keep every stage; a missing step costs task achievement.

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