Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 diagram illustrates the recycling process of plastic bottles in 9 different stages.

Overall, this recycling process divided into nine different stages. Starting from a collection of plastic waste bins, followed by sorting and producing plastic pellets to converting raw material to produce recycled products from recycling center.

Initially, users of plastic waste will throw all bottles in the recycled bin, which collected by garbage collection vehicle and transported to the recycling center,where this plastic waste getting separated by hand on one point. After that machine will compressing it into blocks.

In stage five, all boxed taken to crushing machine and all crushed particals getting washed in big washing area. All gathered clean plastic partical put in plastic pallets producing machine, then this plastic pallets converted into raw matirial under the correct heating.In stage eight, all raw materials delivering to factories, where it coverted into recycle plastic products. This endless recycling cycle goes on to save envriment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages accurately, from bottles being placed in a bin and collected to sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating, and the creation of new products. The overview also recognises the sequence and recycling purpose, and the final sentence notes that the cycle continues. This gives a clear account of the process, with the key stages represented. However, the overview is not fully clear: “Starting from a collection of plastic waste bins” does not accurately describe the first stage, and the summary of the overall process is difficult to follow. Some details are also imprecise, such as saying the bottles are separated “by hand” and that raw materials are delivered to factories, which are not explicitly shown. A more precise overview and closer attention to what the diagram depicts would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a chronological description of the stages. Sequencing phrases such as “Initially,” “After that,” and “In stage five” help the reader follow the process, and the final sentence returns to the idea of a continuing cycle. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, with repeated “all” and “then,” and some links between ideas are unclear. For example, the overview’s phrase “Starting from a collection of plastic waste bins, followed by sorting…” is not a complete, clearly connected sentence. The transition from the washing stage to pellet production is also compressed into one long sequence. Use clearer sentence boundaries and vary linking expressions while keeping each stage in a logical order.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compress,” “crushing,” “washed,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” so the reader can generally understand the stages. There are also attempts at more specific wording, such as “recycling center” and “endless recycling cycle.” However, several inaccurate word choices, collocations, and spelling errors reduce precision: “recycled bin” is better expressed as “recycling bin,” “plastic pallets” should be “plastic pellets,” and “particals,” “matirial,” and “envriment” are misspelled. Phrases such as “plastic waste getting separated by hand on one point” are also awkward and unclear. Build accuracy by checking spelling and using standard process terms consistently; this will make your otherwise relevant vocabulary more effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sequence joined with “which” and a final clause explaining the cycle’s purpose. The stages are usually understandable, but grammatical control is uneven, and errors sometimes make relationships between actions unclear. For example, “this recycling process divided” needs a verb form such as “is divided,” while “which collected by garbage collection vehicle” is missing an auxiliary and an article. The construction “machine will compressing it” combines incompatible verb forms, and “all raw materials delivering” needs a passive form such as “are delivered.” Sentence fragments also occur, notably “Starting from a collection…” Use complete clauses, consistent present simple or passive forms for a process, and check articles and subject–verb agreement.

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