Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

the given diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles, from initial collection to the production of new consumer goods.

it can be clearly seen that, the process involves mainly 9-stages both manual and mechanical stages. used bottles are collected and transported, then sorted, cleaned and processed into raw material, which is finally manufactured into new products that can be recycled again.

the process begins when individuals place used plastic bottles into recycling bins. these bottles are then collected by truck and taken to a recycling center, where they are sorted by hand. acceptable bottles are subsequently compressed into blocks and then crushed into small pieces. following this, the fragments are washed.

in the next phase, the clean pieces are processed in a machine to produce plastic pellets. these pellets are heated to from raw material, which is then molded into new products. examples of end products include bottles, containers, clothing, and bags. once these products are used and disordered, they can be placed back into recycling bins, thus restarting the cycle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully identified the main stages of the recycling process and provided a clear overview. You covered the entire cycle from collection to the creation of new products. The inclusion of specific examples like 'bottles, containers, clothing, and bags' adds necessary detail. To reach a higher band, ensure your overview is more distinct from the body paragraphs and perhaps highlight the cyclical nature of the process more explicitly in the introduction. Overall, you have addressed all parts of the task effectively, providing a logical summary of the provided diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the initial collection phase to the final manufacturing stage. You use cohesive devices such as 'following this,' 'in the next phase,' and 'once these products are used' to guide the reader through the process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction/overview from the procedural steps. To improve, ensure that your referencing is consistently precise and avoid minor punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary comma after 'seen that' in the first paragraph, which slightly disrupts the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'compressed,' 'fragments,' 'molded,' and 'recycling center' accurately. The language is generally natural and appropriate for a process description. However, there are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'disordered' to describe used products, which is not the most precise collocation in this context. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'transformed,' 'subsequently,' or 'raw materials,' to show greater flexibility and precision in your word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'these bottles are then collected by truck and taken to a recycling center, where they are sorted by hand.' While the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free, there are a few grammatical slips, such as 'heated to from raw material' (likely a typo for 'form') and the inconsistent use of capitalization at the start of sentences. Improving your proofreading to catch these minor slips and increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would help you reach a higher band.

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