Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.

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

How plastic bottles are recycled

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The below diagram illustrates the process for reusing plastic bottles to produce new products out of it. This whole cycle required nine steps to complete and to create new plastic goods, namely, bottles, tshirts, bags, pens, etc.

The first step is to throw these plastic bottles at designated recycle bin, so, it becomes easier to collect. Then the next step is to collect to wastes by trucks and delivers it to the recycle centre.

In the third step, at the recycling centre it is crucial to sort plastic bottles. After this step, these bottles are needed to be compressed into blocks. The next step is essential, from the previous step the blocks will be crushed and dropped into a bucket of water for washing these small parts of bottles. For forming raw materials next three steps are vital, firstly, for producing plastic palltes those small parts will be put into a grinder and then these pallets will be heated to give a form of raw materials. After getting these raw materials, it can be used to produce different kinds of products.

To conclude, from collecting plastic bottles to producing products this whole procedure needs total nine steps to complete.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from disposal and collection through sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating, and you identify the process as a cycle that produces new goods. These are relevant features, and the overview that it has nine steps is grounded in the diagram. However, some stages are described less fully: the sorting stage’s rejection of unsuitable items is not explained, and the final stage is not linked explicitly back to the recycling bin, even though this return completes the loop. The description of the pellet-making machine as a “grinder” is also not supported by the diagram, which shows a machine producing pellets. A more complete overview and precise reporting of these details would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall progression, with an opening overview, a chronological account and a concluding sentence. Sequencing phrases such as “The first step,” “Then the next step,” and “After this step” help readers follow the process, and the stages are generally presented in the correct order. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some of the flexibility associated with stronger cohesion. However, the repeated step-by-step transitions make the account somewhat mechanical, while “For forming raw materials next three steps are vital” creates an awkward transition and does not clearly distinguish the pellet, heating and raw-material stages. The conclusion repeats the nine-step point rather than adding a final insight about the cycle. Use clearer links between grouped stages and refer explicitly to the loop’s return.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushed,” “washing,” “raw materials” and “produce,” so the reader can understand the main operations. There is also some attempt at more specific wording, such as “designated recycle bin.” However, several inaccurate or awkward choices limit precision: “reusing” is less suitable than “recycling” for this process, “collect to wastes” is unclear, and “palltes” and “pallets” are misspellings of “pellets.” “Grinder” is not the machine shown, and “plastic goods” is less natural here than “plastic products.” These issues do not prevent understanding, but they make the description less precise and fluent. Focus on accurate process terms and check spelling, word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a sequence of clauses describing how the crushed pieces are washed and then processed. The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “the next step is to collect to wastes by trucks and delivers it” has an incorrect infinitive pattern and mismatched verb agreement; “these bottles are needed to be compressed” uses an awkward passive construction; and “it can be used” does not agree clearly with the plural “raw materials.” Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention in phrases such as “at designated recycle bin.” These examples show that complex ideas are attempted, but control is not consistent. Practise accurate passive forms and agreement, and proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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