Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-14

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 provided diagram illustrates the recycling process of plastic bottles to make something useful.

overall, the process contains several steps for recycling beginning with collection of bottles into dustbins and ended with useful products.

in the beginning, the bottles threw into the drum or into steel cans while the bottles are collected from these drums by a truck of collection garbage.then these bottles are sorting in the recycling center and after the sorting these crushed bottles are compressed into blocks.

followed this, after the compression these bottles are crushed by a crushing strips and then these crushed particles of bottles are washed in a tub with the presence of some chemicals.after washing, these particles are added in a machine and this machine converts these particles into pellets and then these pellets are heated by a heating machine to form raw material.after cooling of the raw material are covered into a packing and transport into a store or factory to make some useful products and in factories the raw material are used and make the fabrics,shopping bags and many others things that used in daily life.this process is a cyclic process because these useful products after using threw into the drums or cans of garbage to recycling to make useful products.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages and give a relevant overview: the process starts with bottles being discarded and ends with useful products, then loops back to recycling. The account also includes sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating to create raw material. This breadth supports a strong response to the task. Some details, however, are inaccurate or not shown in the diagram: it does not specify chemicals in the washing bath, cooling or packing the raw material, or transport to a store or factory. The sorting stage’s separation into accepted and rejected bottles is also omitted. To strengthen the report further, prioritise the diagram’s exact stages and describe the final products shown, such as containers, clothing and pencils, without adding unsupported steps.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response follows the process in a generally logical order, and the opening overview helps the reader understand that it is a cycle. Sequencing phrases such as “in the beginning,” “followed this,” and “after washing” also make the progression visible. However, most of the report is presented as one long paragraph, with several stages joined into extended sentences. This makes the sequence harder to follow, particularly in the section beginning “after cooling of the raw material.” Some linking expressions are awkward or repetitive, and the reference to “these bottles” continues even after the material has become particles and pellets. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and process details, and divide the stages into shorter, clearly linked sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” which helps communicate the main transformations. There are also attempts to describe the cycle and the products’ usefulness. However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “drum” for a recycling bin, “crushing strips,” and “covered into a packing.” Repetition of “useful products,” “bottles,” and “particles” also limits precision, while phrases such as “many others things” are not idiomatic. Aim for accurate collocations and vary references to the material as it changes form. More precise wording would make the process easier to visualise without adding unsupported details.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect several stages using subordinate clauses and time expressions, so the response shows some ambition beyond simple sentences. However, control is limited: errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence boundaries occur throughout and sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. For example, “the bottles threw into the drum” needs a passive form, while “these bottles are sorting” and “after cooling of the raw material are covered” have faulty verb structures. The long sentence beginning “in the beginning” also needs clearer punctuation and clause boundaries. Practise accurate passive constructions for process descriptions, such as “the bottles are sorted” and “the pellets are heated,” and check each sentence for a clear subject and finite verb.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.