Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-11
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 below shows the process for recycling the plastic bottles and making new products from it.
Overall, the process revolves around collecting those bottles from recycling bins, then sorting and crushing happens. It finally passes through the heating process which molds the plastic into a desirable shape. These products are used by customers; us. After using for a considerable time, these goods are thrown into the bins, where the cycle begins.
To begin with, after using plastic bottles and cans, people put them into recycling carts. Trucks collected those goods and send them to a factory. Here, these bottles are sorted according to the material they are made of. Like the glass bottles are placed into a different container and plastics one are added to another. Furthermore, these bottles are compressed into a shape which can easily pass through a crushing machine. On the 5th stage, big piles of compressed plastic is crushed into small pieces. After washing, these pieces are placed in a machine to undergo heating process.
Moreover, these smalller chunks are changed into pallets after heating. Heated pallets are converted into a raw material. This raw material is sent to the factories where it is used to make the desirable products like plastic bags, cans, containers and bottles etc. Customers buy these products and after using. these plastics materials are going into recycling bins.
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 production of new goods. The overview is clear and identifies the cyclical nature of the process. However, the response could be improved by better highlighting the 'main features' and making more explicit comparisons between stages. The inclusion of personal commentary like 'us' is informal and inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report. While the process is described in detail, the summary lacks a high-level synthesis of the key stages, which prevents it from reaching the higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized, moving chronologically through the stages of the process. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, the initial collection/sorting phase, and the final manufacturing phase. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the abrupt sentence 'Customers buy these products and after using. these plastics materials are going into recycling bins', which suffers from poor punctuation and flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'raw material' used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies and informal choices, such as 'smalller chunks' (spelling error) and the use of 'us' in the introduction. The range is sufficient to describe the process, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band. Some phrasing is repetitive, and the word choice is occasionally simplistic, such as 'desirable shape' or 'big piles'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with article usage ('the plastic bottles' vs 'plastic bottles') and subject-verb agreement ('big piles of compressed plastic is crushed'). Punctuation is inconsistent, notably the sentence fragment 'Customers buy these products and after using. these plastics materials are going into recycling bins'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures is needed for a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.