Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-03
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 5.5)
The process chart illustrates that how the plastic bottles get recycled.
Overall, this is a multi-step process including collection, separation, compression of bottles, crushing, production of raw material and manufacturing the new recycled products.
To commence with, the plastic bottles are collected from the trash and transported in a truck to recycling centres. Then, in recycling centres these plastic bottles are sorted by separating into two compartments of recycling and non-recycling. In the next stage, separated bottles are compressed into blocks and then these blocks are put into a crushing machine.
Thereafter, these crushed particles are gone through the step of washing. Afterwards, plastic pallets are produced by heating washed plastic bottle particles into a specific device which forms raw material. In the further step, the raw material is used to mak
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence. While the overview and the initial stages of the process are described, the failure to complete the summary significantly impacts the task achievement. The key features are identified, but the process is not fully reported, leading to a lack of development in the final stages. To improve, ensure you complete the entire process described in the diagram and check that your response meets the minimum length requirement to avoid a penalty.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response uses some cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Then', and 'Thereafter' to guide the reader through the process. However, the abrupt ending of the text prevents a logical conclusion or a fully coherent flow. Paragraphing is attempted, but the incomplete nature of the final paragraph disrupts the overall structure. To improve, ensure that each step is clearly linked and that the essay reaches a natural conclusion, maintaining a logical progression throughout the entire report.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using terms like 'transported', 'recycling centres', 'compressed', and 'crushing machine'. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'illustrates that how' and 'separated bottles are compressed into blocks'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to industrial processes and avoid redundant phrasing. Focus on using collocations more naturally to describe the transformation of materials.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'illustrates that how the plastic bottles get recycled' (unnecessary 'that') and 'separated into two compartments of recycling and non-recycling' (awkward prepositional usage). Additionally, 'these crushed particles are gone through' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'these crushed particles go through'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.