Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The given process delineates the various steps involved in how plastic bottles are recycled.
To commence with, it is noticeable that this cycle involves nine steps which begins with people putting plastic bottles into bins and ends with producing new products. Secondly, the plastic wastes are collected by trash van from bins and dropped at recycling plants, where workers sort them correctly which needs to go for further process and which do not. Then the water bottles are compressed into huge chunk of blocks. Afterwards, they are crushed between two big rotators into small pieces and washed in tank of water. Next, the soaked pieces put into a machine to produce plastic pellets. Post hoc, the pellets are heated at certain temperature to form raw material, then it is collected and piled into groups to produce the various products. The products which are made are mainly new water bottles, t-shirt, plastic bag, stationary items, and plastic tiffin. It is apparent that every step is necessary and important for recycling plastic bottles.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the production of new items. The overview is clear, identifying the nine-step nature of the cycle. However, the response lacks a clear structure; it is presented as a single paragraph, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of the process. While the main features are reported, the description is somewhat mechanical, listing steps sequentially without grouping them into logical phases (e.g., collection, processing, and manufacturing). To improve, you should group related steps into distinct paragraphs to better highlight the flow of the process.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response suffers from a lack of paragraphing, which is a significant issue for a process description. While you use some cohesive devices like 'To commence with', 'Secondly', 'Afterwards', and 'Post hoc', the flow feels somewhat repetitive and mechanical. The use of 'Post hoc' is also slightly unnatural in this context. The logical progression is present, but the lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel like a list of actions rather than a cohesive report. Improving your paragraphing and using a wider variety of linking phrases would significantly enhance the readability and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'delineates', 'compressed', 'rotators', and 'pellets'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'trash van' should be 'collection vehicle' or 'garbage truck', and 'stationary items' is a misspelling of 'stationery'. Additionally, 'huge chunk of blocks' is awkward phrasing. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on more accurate collocations and avoiding informal phrasing will help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'which begins' should be 'which begin' to agree with 'nine steps'. There are also issues with articles and plurals, such as 'in tank of water' (in a tank) and 'huge chunk of blocks' (a huge block). The phrase 'the soaked pieces put into a machine' is missing a passive auxiliary verb ('are put'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Increasing your control over passive voice and article usage is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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