This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay on the topic of the process of how sugar cane is produced.

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IELTS Cambridge 16 Essay Task 1: 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.

The process shows how sugar is made from the sugar cane plant. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that this natural and man-made process involves 3 main stages beginning with initial harvesting, followed by a chemical transformation, and finally separation into the end product of sugar.

The first stage is natural and begins with sugar cane being grown over a 12 – 18 month period. The mature plant is then harvested either by hand or large, industrial farming machinery. From that point, the stalks are crushed in a grinder which results in raw sugar cane juice.

The juice is then run through a limestone filter and poured into an evaporator during which time it is heated, reduced and becomes a syrup. The syrup is next separated from the sugar crystals using a centrifuge prior to being dried and cooled in its final form as sugar.

Analysis

1. The process shows how sugar is made from the sugar cane plant. 2. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that this natural and man-made process involves 3 main stages beginning with initial harvesting, followed by a chemical transformation, and finally separation into the end product of sugar.

1. Paraphrase what the process shows.
2. Write a clear overview summarising the major groups. Read here about overviews for processes.

1. The first stage is natural and begins with sugar cane being grown over a 12 – 18 month period. 2. The mature plant is then harvested either by hand or large, industrial farming machinery. 3. From that point, the stalks are crushed in a grinder which results in raw sugar cane juice.

1. Begin writing about the details of the process.
2. This one is tricky to get up to the word count (no longer required on IELTS) so try to make it a little wordy.
3. Make sure all steps are detailed in the process.

1. The juice is then run through a limestone filter and poured into an evaporator during which time it is heated, reduced and becomes a syrup. 2. The syrup is next separated from the sugar crystals using a centrifuge prior to being dried and cooled in its final form as sugar.

1. Write about the rest of the process – include everything!
2. Try to paraphrase some of the words from process as well.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Take some notes on a piece of paper to aid your memory:

The process shows how sugar is made from the sugar cane plant. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that this natural and man-made process involves 3 main stages beginning with initial harvesting, followed by a chemical transformation, and finally separation into the end product of sugar.

The first stage is natural and begins with sugar cane being grown over a 12 – 18 month period. The mature plant is then harvested either by hand or large, industrial farming machinery. From that point, the stalks are crushed in a grinder which results in raw sugar cane juice.

The juice is then run through a limestone filter and poured into an evaporator during which time it is heated, reduced and becomes a syrup. The syrup is next separated from the sugar crystals using a centrifuge prior to being dried and cooled in its final form as sugar.

Answers

Try to write down or think of an antonym/opposite word for further practice:

process diagram

made from comes from

sugar cane plant the plant that is used to make sugar

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that overall

natural from nature

man-made not natural

involves concerns

main primary

beginning with starting with

initial harvesting first being picked

followed by after that

chemical transformation turned to a new substance

finally separation lastly divided

end product final item

first stage initial step

grown over a 12 – 18 month period gets bigger over a year+

either one or the other

industrial farming machinery big machines to cut crops

from that point after that

stalks the plant

crushed ground

grinder crushing machine

results in raw produces pure

run through placed in

limestone filter method of cleaning it

poured into put into

evaporator heats and some of the liquid disappears

during which time at the time

heated becomes hot

reduced made less of it

syrup a thick liquid

next after that

sugar crystals actual sugar

centrifuge machine that spins and filters

prior to before

dried made dry

cooled no longer hot

final form end product

Pronunciation

Practice saying the words below using this tip with Google voice dictation:

ˈprəʊsɛs 
meɪd frɒm 
ˈʃʊgə keɪn plɑːnt
ˈlʊkɪŋ frɒm ən ˈəʊvərɔːl pəˈspɛktɪv, ɪt ɪz ˈrɛdɪli əˈpærənt ðæt 
ˈnæʧrəl 
ˈmænˈmeɪd 
ɪnˈvɒlvz 
meɪn 
bɪˈgɪnɪŋ wɪð 
ɪˈnɪʃəl ˈhɑːvɪstɪŋ
ˈfɒləʊd baɪ 
ˈkɛmɪkəl ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃən
ˈfaɪnəli ˌsɛpəˈreɪʃən 
ɛnd ˈprɒdʌkt 
fɜːst steɪʤ 
grəʊn ˈəʊvər ə twɛlv – ˌeɪˈtiːn mʌnθ ˈpɪərɪəd
ˈaɪðə 
ɪnˈdʌstrɪəl ˈfɑːmɪŋ məˈʃiːnəri
frɒm ðæt pɔɪnt
stɔːks 
krʌʃt 
ˈgraɪndə 
rɪˈzʌlts ɪn rɔː 
rʌn θruː 
ˈlaɪmstəʊn ˈfɪltə 
pɔːd ˈɪntuː 
ɪˈvæpəreɪtə 
ˈdjʊərɪŋ wɪʧ taɪm 
ˈhiːtɪd
rɪˈdjuːst 
ˈsɪrəp
nɛkst 
ˈʃʊgə ˈkrɪstlz 
ˈsɛntrɪfjuːʤ 
ˈpraɪə tuː 
draɪd 
kuːld 
ˈfaɪnl fɔːm 

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The p________s shows how sugar is m___________m the s________________t. L________________________________________________________t this n______l and m__________e process i_________s 3 m______n stages b_______________h i________l h______________g, f_______________y a c_________________________n, and f________________________n into the e______________t of sugar.

The f_____________e is natural and begins with sugar cane being g________________________________d. The mature plant is then harvested e_________r by hand or large, i________________________________y. F__________________t, the s__________s are c__________d in a g__________r which r__________n r____w sugar cane juice.

The juice is then r_______________h a l__________________r and p______________o an e_______________r d__________________e it is h_________d, r__________d and becomes a s______p. The syrup is n_____t separated from the s________________s using a c___________e p________o being d______d and c__________d in its f____________m as sugar.

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Sweets

1. Do you like sweets?
2. Did you like sweets when you were younger?
3. What kind of sweet foods are popular in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related process below and then check with my sample answer: