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 diagram illustrates the step by step procedure of recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, the plastic bottle recycling process includes 9 steps. The procedure starts with collecting the plastic bottles from wastes and ends up producing using new products out these.

At first the, the plastic bottles are collected from the waste and carried to recycling centre for sorting. These plastic bottles are compressed into blocks and send for the crushing method. After crushing, these are collected in a tub to wash properly.

These washed crushed plastic materials are put in a machine to produce plastic pelletes out of it. These pellets are then heated so that these can be converted to raw material for manufacturing new products. Heated pelletes are coverted to raw materials which are further used to manufature new end products such as plastic bottles, boxes, pen etc.

These newly produced products are again thrown into dustbin from where these plastics can be collected for reclycling again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response gives a clear account of the main cycle, including collection, sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating, and the manufacture of new products. The overview identifies nine steps and recognises that the process is circular, which captures the diagram’s central features. Most stages are reported accurately, and examples of end products are included. However, the opening collection stage is described as bottles being collected from waste, rather than first being placed in a recycling bin and then transported by truck. The sorting stage’s rejection of unsuitable bottles is also omitted. To make the account more complete and precise, report these early actions and clarify that the finished products return to the start of the cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a sensible sequence, moving from an overview to the early, middle, and final stages. Paragraph breaks help distinguish the process sections, and time markers such as “At first” and “After crushing” support progression. The final paragraph also makes the cycle’s return explicit. Some linking and reference are less controlled, however: “These” and “these” recur without always making the material or products immediately clear, and “These washed crushed plastic materials” is awkward to follow. The overview’s phrase “ends up producing using new products out these” also interrupts the flow. Use clearer references such as “the washed plastic” and “the resulting pellets,” and connect stages with a wider range of precise transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushing,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” so the reader can follow the general procedure. It also attempts to describe the cycle and give examples of products. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “collecting the plastic bottles from wastes,” “ends up producing using new products,” and “collected in a tub to wash properly.” Spelling errors are noticeable in “pelletes,” “coverted,” “manufature,” and “reclycling,” and “pen” is less precise than “pencils” for the diagram. Aim for accurate process collocations and proofread spelling; for example, use “transported to a recycling centre” and “used to manufacture new products.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is some variety in sentence structure, including passive forms such as “are compressed” and “are then heated,” as well as a relative clause in “from where these plastics can be collected.” The sequence is generally understandable, but errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms remain. For example, “At first the, the plastic bottles” has faulty word order and punctuation, while “are compressed into blocks and send for the crushing method” has an incorrect verb form and an awkward construction. The overview sentence “ends up producing using new products out these” is also structurally unclear. Articles and prepositions are sometimes missing, as in “carried to recycling centre.” Practise accurate passive constructions and check each sentence for a complete, well-formed clause.

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