Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The given diagram illustrates the process for recycling plastic bottles all the way from collection of the bottles to the conversion into a new product.

Overall, the process is done in 9 steps where the bottles are collected, crushed and converted into raw material which is used in the production of various products.

Starting from the process where used bottles are dispossed in the bins from where these are collected by waste management transportation. The bottles now reach the recycling centre via transportation where they are sorted in specific boxes and then compressed in the form of blocks. Furthermore, these blocks of plastic are crushed into tiny particles which are cleaned by the process of washing.

Moving further, these particles are processed in machines where they are converted into plastic pellets. The pellets are heated at a constant temperature in order to form a specific raw material. This raw material is used for the production of different plastic materials like bottles, tiffens, pencils, plastic bags and even clothing items such as tea-shirts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the final product. You have identified the main features and provided a clear overview in the introduction. The information is logically sequenced, and you have successfully highlighted the key steps such as sorting, compressing, crushing, and pelletizing. To reach a higher band, ensure that you explicitly mention the 'comparison' aspect required by the prompt, perhaps by noting the transformation from waste to a variety of end-products. Overall, the task is addressed well, and the information is accurate based on the provided diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with a logical progression from the initial collection to the final manufacturing stage. You have used cohesive devices such as 'Starting from', 'Furthermore', and 'Moving further' to guide the reader through the process. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a process description. The structure is coherent and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, such as 'compressed', 'particles', and 'raw material'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and informal choices. For example, 'dispossed' is a spelling error (should be 'disposed'), and 'tea-shirts' is an informal or incorrect term for 't-shirts'. Additionally, 'tiffens' is a very specific regional term that may not be widely understood in an international context. Expanding your range to include more precise technical collocations would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'the process is done in 9 steps where the bottles are collected' (which is slightly awkward) and 'dispossed in the bins from where these are collected' (a fragment). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. You have good control over basic structures, but incorporating more varied complex sentence forms with greater accuracy would improve your performance. Punctuation is generally handled well throughout the text.

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

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