Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles. At a glance, it can be seen that the recycling is a time consuming process.

At the first, used plastic bottles are placed in bins through residents and vehicle transported bottles to the recycling centre , where bottles were sorted. Then, it goes to the large blocks for the compressing. Crushed into tiny particles and go to the next for producing plastic pellets for heating form to raw material. Finally, raw material converted into various materials such as, clothes, bags, and other necessary things.

Overall, this process consists total nine steps it begins with used bottles in particular garbage bin to finished with different convenient items, which includes sorting, compressing, crushing, plastic pellets, heating, raw material and final product.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have identified the main stages of the recycling process, the description is quite brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the flow. For instance, the transition between 'crushing' and 'pellets' is unclear, and you have not fully explored the comparisons or the cyclical nature of the process. To improve, you should expand on each stage by describing the actions more precisely and ensuring the response meets the length requirement to allow for a more comprehensive overview of the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into three short paragraphs, which is a logical structure for a process description. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'At the first', 'Then', 'Finally'). The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the sequence of actions feels rushed. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect the stages more fluidly, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher score. You rely on basic terms like 'things' and 'necessary', which are too vague for an academic report. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'vehicle transported bottles' and 'heating form to raw material'. To improve, try to incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'processed', 'transformed', 'converted', or 'manufactured', and ensure your word choices are contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'placed in bins through residents' should be 'placed in bins by residents', and 'it goes to the large blocks for the compressing' is grammatically incorrect. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, as most sentences are simple or contain errors in clause construction. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence patterns and subject-verb agreement. Once these are consistent, work on incorporating complex structures like passive voice, which is essential for describing processes.

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

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