Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05
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 above diagram illustrates the steps involved in how plastic bottles are recycled.It involves nine various stages and a linear process.
Overall it can be noticeable that how the bottles are recycled in each step and production of new material have been manufactured.
Firstly the thrown water bottles are collected from the garbage trolley.The second step it need to loaded in to the truck where it is transported to the recycling center to do recycled.In the third step it need be separated manually by hands according to the shape,side,and quality in recycling center.
The further step is to compressing the bottles in a cube shaped block it gets compressed .
In the next step the crushing starts and send to tub where the bottles will be washing.The sixth step involves in the pellets are producing with plastic in a machine.Later pellets are to heated to get raw material.The last stage where the products have been manufactured from the raw materials respectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the overview is weak and lacks clarity. While you mention nine stages, the description of the process is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, logical summary of the transformation from waste to raw material. The overview sentence 'Overall it can be noticeable that how the bottles are recycled in each step and production of new material have been manufactured' is grammatically unclear and does not effectively highlight the key features of the process. To improve, ensure you clearly identify the beginning and end points of the cycle and group the stages more logically to provide a cohesive summary of the entire operation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. You use basic sequencing words like 'Firstly', 'The second step', and 'In the next step', which helps the reader follow the process, but the transitions between sentences are often abrupt. Some sentences are poorly linked, such as 'The further step is to compressing the bottles in a cube shaped block it gets compressed', which contains redundant information and lacks smooth flow. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect the stages more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'thrown water bottles', 'do recycled', and 'pellets are producing'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'garbage trolley' (likely referring to a collection bin or truck) and 'separated manually by hands' (which is redundant). To reach a higher band, try to use more specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'sorted', 'compressed', 'granulated', or 'reprocessed'. The current range is sufficient to convey the basic meaning but does not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'it need to loaded in to the truck', 'it need be separated', and 'The sixth step involves in the pellets are producing'. These errors involve incorrect verb forms, missing auxiliary verbs, and awkward sentence construction. While you attempt to use complex structures, they are often faulty, such as the passive voice constructions which are frequently misused. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct formation of passive voice, which is essential for describing processes. A more careful proofreading of your work would help identify these recurring errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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