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 illustrates how the plastic bottles can be recycled from throwing to producing end products. There are total 9 steps include in this process.
In recycling process, people first throw plastic cans or bottles into trash bins placed in nearby areas in their houses. Then the big containers take these trash away to the recycling centre where plastic bottles are separated from other trash. In the next step of recycling, all that separated material is compressed into blocks and these blocks are further passed through a crushing machine.
Furthermore, the crushed material is poured into water for washing and plastic pellets can be produced. Then these pellets are passes through heating process to form raw material of the product. At the end of the recycling process, the desired end products are formed by the raw material. These end products can be of different types like clothes, plastic bags, water bottles or cans and food storage boxes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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 creation of end products. The overview is clear, identifying the process as a nine-step cycle. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a more analytical approach to the 'main features' or comparisons. For instance, the transition from raw material to end products is described, but the relationship between the stages could be more clearly highlighted to show a deeper understanding of the process flow. The response is accurate and relevant, but it stays quite close to the provided diagram without adding significant synthesis or highlighting key trends in the transformation process.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized, with a clear introduction and a sequential progression through the stages of the process. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the initial collection phase from the processing and final production stages. Cohesive devices such as 'In the next step', 'Furthermore', and 'At the end of' are used appropriately to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally slightly repetitive in its structure, and some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall coherence. Overall, the information is presented in a clear, easy-to-follow manner.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the recycling stages. Words like 'compressed', 'crushing', and 'pellets' are used correctly in context. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing, such as 'people first throw' or 'big containers take these trash away'. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise, academic vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'collection', 'sorting', 'shredding', or 'reprocessed'. The current range is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'There are total 9 steps include in this process' should be 'There are a total of 9 steps included in this process'. Additionally, 'these pellets are passes through' should be 'these pellets are passed through'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The student shows an ability to use passive voice, which is appropriate for process descriptions, but needs to focus on subject-verb agreement and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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