Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-29

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 given diagram displays the process of recycling plastic bottles.

The plastic bottles are recycled in 9 stages. First the people through their waste plastic bottles and garbage in a trash bin. Secondly a trash truck come and put all this garbage in to truck and go to recycling center where all plastic bottles are sorted. After that a compressing machine compress these bottles in to blocks. Then in fifth stage all blocks are crushes in to tiny pieces and then wash all these pieces. In sixth stage these pieces are put in a machine where they produce plastic pellets. In the next stage these pellets are heated to form raw materials and then these raw material store and in the last many new things like water bottles, lunch boxes, t-shirts, shopping bags, pencils and many other things are made from this raw material. After some time when all these things are damage then these things again put in the trash bin.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the recycling process as shown in the diagram. However, the report lacks a clear overview or summary of the main trends or stages, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1. The description is purely sequential and lacks analytical comparison or grouping of the stages. While the information is accurate, the lack of a clear introduction and a concluding overview limits the development of the response. To improve, you should group the stages into logical phases (e.g., collection, processing, and manufacturing) and provide a summary of the overall cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized chronologically, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the paragraphing is non-existent; the entire response is a single block of text. Cohesive devices are used, but they are somewhat repetitive and mechanical (e.g., 'First', 'Secondly', 'After that', 'Then', 'In the next stage'). The flow between sentences is functional but lacks variety. To improve, you should use paragraph breaks to separate the different stages of the process and employ a wider range of linking words and referencing to improve the flow and logical progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple verbs like 'put', 'go', and 'made'. There is an attempt to use process-related vocabulary such as 'sorted', 'compressing', 'crushes', and 'pellets', which is good. However, there are errors in word form and collocation, such as 'people through their waste' (should be 'throw') and 'these things are damage' (should be 'damaged'). To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise verbs and nouns related to industrial processes and ensure correct word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('a trash truck come'), incorrect verb forms ('people through their waste'), and missing articles or prepositions ('in to truck', 'in to tiny pieces'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with a lack of commas to separate clauses. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and verb tense consistency.

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