Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-15

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 process shows the procedure of recycling plastic bottles. This process contains nine steps, starting from collecting the trash and ending with producing products. This is a linear process in which human help is contributed.

Overall, this process has various steps which includes the usage of machineries in order to produce products from waste material.

Firstly, the process begins with collecting plastic bottles from the bins followed by taking them to the recycling center. Once the bottles are reached the center they are sorted based on their material type. The fourth step beings with compressing the bottles into block, and right after this process the block are crushed. The crumbs of the bottle are then washed and delivered in the plastic producing pellets.

The second last step starts with heating the pallets to form raw material. After the material is formed the process ends with the production of the products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but it lacks a clear overview of the key features. While you mention the process is linear, you do not highlight the transformation from waste to raw material effectively. The description of the steps is generally accurate, but some details are slightly inaccurate, such as stating the crumbs are 'delivered in the plastic producing pellets' rather than 'processed into pellets'. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the entire cycle in the overview and focus on the transformation of the material rather than just listing the steps sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized into paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is clear. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Once', and 'After', which help the reader follow the sequence. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, with the second paragraph being very short. Additionally, some transitions are a bit mechanical. To reach a higher band, try to vary your cohesive devices and ensure that the paragraphs are more balanced in length, perhaps by grouping the initial collection stages and the final manufacturing stages more distinctly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'recycling center', 'compressing', and 'raw material'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'human help is contributed' (which is unnatural) and 'delivered in the plastic producing pellets'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise technical terms related to industrial processes and ensure that your word choices sound natural in an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Once the bottles are reached' (should be 'Once the bottles reach'), 'beings with' (should be 'begins with'), and 'the block are crushed' (should be 'the blocks are crushed'). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and passive voice construction, which is essential when describing processes. Proofreading for these small errors will significantly improve your score.

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

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