Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-07

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 illustrates the method of how plastic bottles pass through the process of recycling.

Overall, The process consist of nine steps to put the plastic bottles in the bin to making the useable products.

Primarily, People put the plastic bottles in the in waste bin, a waste truck comes on daily basis to pick this waste and drop it in the recycling centre for sorting process to separate the plastic bottles in the partition. in addition the compressing process start which convert it into the blocks. and in the next stage process of crushing started to washing it. the sixth process started producing plastic pallets and than to from this pallets into raw materials and its goes through the heating process which transform it into pure raw material. in the last stage this raw material used to produce the daily use items of people like shirts, pencils, bottles and small plastic boxes etc.

In the end, i have explain all the stages of how plastic bottles is recycled to make the people daily use items.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you identified the nine steps, the summary is quite basic. To improve, focus on grouping the stages logically (e.g., collection, processing, and manufacturing) rather than listing them sequentially. The overview should highlight the transformation from waste to raw material more effectively. Additionally, ensure that the information is presented objectively without personal commentary, such as the concluding sentence, which is unnecessary in an Academic Task 1 report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is mechanical. You rely heavily on simple sequencing words like 'in addition' and 'in the next stage', which makes the text feel like a list rather than a cohesive report. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, and the punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with capitalisation (e.g., 'The Diagram', 'The process'). To reach a higher band, use a wider variety of cohesive devices to link ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear central theme.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use repetitive phrasing such as 'process' and 'raw material' throughout the text. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'produce the daily use items of people'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'shredded', 'granulated', or 'reprocessed'. Expanding your range of verbs and nouns will help you describe the stages with more sophistication and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The process consist', 'process started to washing it'), incorrect article usage, and inconsistent verb tenses. Furthermore, there are several punctuation errors, such as missing commas and incorrect capitalisation. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement and tense consistency. Reducing these frequent errors will significantly improve the clarity of your writing.

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

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