Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 given information illustrates that how plastic bottles are recycled

Overall, it is a nine staged, linear process this process is performed by both humans and machines it started with recycle the wastage and ends with producing and products

To begin with, firstly human recycled the waste and then this waste is tansfered to recycyling center with the help of truck and in next step recycling center wastage is stored by human then this storing wastage is compressed and convert into blocks.

Moving further, the wastage blocks are crushing and in next step the crushing wastage is washing with the help of water or chemicals and then this washing waste is put into the machine and this machine help to produce plastic pellets and after this step producing healing pellets from raw materials and in last and final step this raw material help to producing the products like bottles and clothes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is often inaccurate or confusing. For instance, the text mentions 'nine staged' when the process is not clearly defined as such, and the description of the steps is repetitive and lacks precision. The summary of the final products is vague ('producing and products'). While the main features are identified, the lack of clarity in describing the transformation of materials prevents a higher score. To improve, focus on accurately describing the sequence of events and the specific actions taken at each stage, ensuring the information is logically presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow is hindered by repetitive sentence structures and a lack of varied cohesive devices. Phrases like 'in next step' and 'and then' are used mechanically throughout the text, which makes the progression feel disjointed. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect the stages of the process effectively. While the overall arrangement is logical in terms of following the diagram, the internal cohesion is weak, and the referencing (e.g., 'this storing wastage') is often unclear or grammatically awkward.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. There are frequent spelling errors such as 'tansfered', 'recycyling', and 'crushing' (used instead of 'crushed'). The word choice is often imprecise, such as 'producing healing pellets' (likely meant 'heating' or 'creating') and 'wastage' used repeatedly where 'waste' or 'materials' would be more appropriate. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the technical process with any degree of sophistication or accuracy. Improving spelling and learning process-specific collocations will be essential for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('human recycled', 'wastage are crushing'), incorrect verb forms ('is washing', 'help to producing'), and missing articles. The sentence structures are simplistic and often run-on, lacking the variety required for higher bands. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with a lack of proper sentence boundaries. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct tense usage for process descriptions, and proofreading for common errors like subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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