Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-04

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 below illustrates the process for recycling bottles and after recycled how thy produced diffrent products.

To begin with, individual use special dustbin for throwing their garbages, then a special truck collecting all the garbages from allocated bin, after that main thigh is to sorting the bottles from mixed category by human hand and then compressing plastic bottles and convereteing them into cube, now the main step is crushing on a small portion, and washing into the water.

After that cruched the matiral and producing plastic pallets and heating pallets and coverting into raw material. Ultimately raw matrial is ready to producing distinct product and making clothes, bags and plastic items.

Overall, plastic is recycling into various usefull products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the student identifies the main stages of the recycling process, the description is overly simplistic and lacks the necessary detail to fully convey the information presented in the diagram. The overview is very brief, and there is no attempt to compare or highlight key features beyond a basic chronological list. To improve, the student should expand on each stage of the process, provide a more detailed summary, and ensure the response meets the length requirement to allow for a full development of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into short paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is mechanical and relies on basic linking words like 'To begin with', 'after that', and 'Ultimately'. Some transitions are awkward, such as 'now the main step is crushing', which disrupts the flow. The use of cohesive devices is limited and repetitive. To reach a higher band, the student should use a wider variety of linking phrases to connect ideas more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus that contributes to the overall logical flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, with several spelling errors such as 'thy' for 'they', 'diffrent', 'garbages', 'thigh' for 'thing', 'convereteing', and 'matiral'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the process with precision. For example, 'throwing their garbages' and 'main thigh' are unnatural collocations. To improve, the student needs to learn more precise terminology related to industrial processes (e.g., 'sorting', 'compressed', 'granulated') and focus on accurate spelling and word choice. The current level of vocabulary is basic and occasionally hinders the clarity of the description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('individual use', 'truck collecting'), incorrect verb forms ('after recycled how thy produced'), and sentence structure (run-on sentences). The range of grammatical structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some awkward attempts at complex ones. Punctuation is also inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and practicing the use of complex structures like passive voice, which is essential for describing processes in IELTS Academic Task 1.

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

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