Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-06

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 diagram illustrate the process of recycling of plastic bottles.

In an overview, this process consist of nine stages and at the beginning the plastic bottles are recycled and at the end these are converted into new products.

First, people throw plastics bottles into the recycling bins and they are collected by the trucks and transported to a recycling center. There, the bottles are sorted and compressed into blocks before they are crushed into small pieces and washed.

Next step, the plastics pieces are processed into a pellets, which are heated into a raw material. Finally this raw material are used to manufacture new products such as new water bottles, pencils, plastic bag or t-shirts.

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 ability to fully develop the response. 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 transformation of the materials. To improve, you should expand on the specific actions at each stage, such as describing the temperature of the heating process or the specific types of products created. Because the response is under-length, it is penalized under Task Achievement, as the information is not sufficiently extended or supported to meet the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is logically organized into an introduction and two body paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Next step', and 'Finally' to signal the progression of the stages. However, the transitions between sentences are somewhat mechanical, and the overall flow could be improved by using more varied linking phrases. The paragraphing is appropriate for a process description, but the brevity of the text makes the overall structure feel underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for describing a process, with terms like 'transported', 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'manufacture' being relevant to the topic. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'processed into a pellets' (should be 'processed into pellets') and 'the plastic bottles are recycled' (the diagram shows the process of recycling, not that the bottles are already recycled at the start). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to industrial processes and ensure correct noun-number agreement.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that affect clarity. For example, 'The diagram illustrate' should be 'The diagram illustrates' (subject-verb agreement), and 'this raw material are used' should be 'this raw material is used'. Additionally, there are issues with articles, such as 'into a pellets'. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that plural and singular nouns are used correctly. Increasing the variety of sentence structures by using passive voice more effectively would also help improve your score.

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

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