Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-09

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the process of how plastic bottles are recycled.

Overall, recycling of plastic bottles is a continuous process involving several stages, starting from the picking of used bottles and transporting them to a recycling center and ending with the production of raw materials to be utilized in different products. Plastic bottles undergo various processes, including sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, producing plastic pellets, heating, before eventually producing end products, thereby completing the cycle.

First of all, used plastic bottles are collected from the waste and then transported with the aid of loaded truck to a recycling center. In the center, useful bottles are sorted out and the rest of them are discarded. The selected bottles are then compressed into blocks. These compressed blocks are passed through a crushing wheel to crush them into small granules. After being washed, the plastic granules pass through a machine to produce plastic pellets. These pellets are then heated to finally produce the raw material. The manufactured raw material is then used for various purposes like making new water bottles, lunch boxes, shirts and plastic stationery,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the creation of end products. You have provided a clear overview in the second paragraph, which effectively summarizes the main steps. The information is accurate and follows the logical flow of the diagram. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly highlight the most significant features or comparisons, such as the transformation from waste to raw material. Overall, the response is well-structured and addresses the prompt requirements comprehensively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, an overview, and a detailed body paragraph. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and you have used cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'then', and 'after being washed' to link the stages of the process. However, the transition between the overview and the body paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, the final sentence ends with a comma instead of a period, which slightly disrupts the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the information is presented in a coherent manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, including terms like 'recycling center', 'compressed', 'granules', and 'raw material'. The word choice is generally precise and appropriate for a process description. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. To improve further, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or synonyms to avoid repetition of words like 'produce' and 'plastic'. For instance, using 'manufacture' or 'generate' would add variety to your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are minor punctuation issues, such as the comma at the end of the final sentence instead of a full stop. Additionally, the phrase 'with the aid of loaded truck' is missing an article ('a' or 'the'). Despite these minor slips, the grammatical accuracy is high, and the structures used are sufficient to convey the process clearly.

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

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