Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18

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 diagram illustrates the the process by which plastic bottles is collected and treated for the manufacturing of useable products for human.

Overall, the process shows how plastic bottles is collected from the dustbins by the person transport has been used to transfer it to recycle centre and subsequently sorted for further compressing it into the blocks anong with washing and convert to raw material produce the final products.

Initially, bottles wastage collected from the dustbins which follow through the transport to recycling centre for sorting and making blocks after compressing it. Then blocks passes through the crushing machine for washing afterward process of converting crush to plastic pellets start then heating pellets to convert it into raw material.

After the raw material ready the process of making products like t shirt, bottles, tiffin and pencils in progress. Finally the end products are ready for use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the score. While the report covers the main stages of the recycling process, the overview is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, concise summary of the key trends. The description of the process is generally accurate, but it lacks the level of detail and analytical comparison required for a higher band. For example, the transition between the collection and the manufacturing stages is described in a fragmented manner, and the final list of products is mentioned without sufficient integration into the overall process flow.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often mechanical and lacks sophisticated cohesive devices. Phrases like 'Initially', 'Then', and 'Finally' are used to sequence the steps, but the connection between the stages is sometimes abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'blocks passes through the crushing machine for washing afterward process of converting crush to plastic pellets start'. The lack of varied linking words and the repetitive sentence structure hinder the logical progression of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'bottles wastage' instead of 'waste bottles' or 'plastic bottles is collected' (subject-verb agreement error). The range of vocabulary is limited, relying heavily on simple verbs like 'making', 'convert', and 'ready'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise technical terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'shredded', 'granulated', 'extruded', or 'reprocessed', which would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and article usage. For instance, 'plastic bottles is collected' should be 'are collected', and 'the the process' contains a repetition error. There is a lack of complex sentence structures; most sentences are simple or contain errors when attempting to link clauses. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas that would help clarify the stages of the process. The high frequency of these errors occasionally impedes the reader's understanding of the sequence.

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

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