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 processes diagram shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, it can be seen that, the process consits of nine main steps, beginning with the plastic bottles throw the dustbin, and ending with producing and products.

Initially, the man was throw the plastic bottle in the bin after then the big truck came into the collected waste plastic bottles. Next to the truck was transfered bottles into the recycling center, after then the women was divided into the bottles in two box, after which every bottles mixed up and converted into compressing into blocks and transfered to the crushing bottles and then converted small peace throw the water.

In the next stage, the small peace cleaned up and the forwarded into the machines and mixed up all peaces and producing plastic pellets throw the heating pellets to form raw material after that ready for raw material converted into products and producing such as clothes, pencil, lunch box and fresh bottle. this process ware very difficult and very long distance processing time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response identifies the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is often inaccurate and lacks clarity. While you mention the nine steps, the narrative is confusing, particularly in the middle section where the sequence of actions (e.g., 'women was divided into the bottles') is difficult to follow. The summary of the final products is present, but the overall overview is weak because it fails to clearly highlight the transformation from waste to raw material. To improve, focus on describing the process objectively rather than narrating it as a story involving people, and ensure the technical steps are clearly linked to the diagram's flow.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. You use some cohesive devices like 'Initially', 'Next', and 'In the next stage', but they are often used incorrectly or lead to run-on sentences that make the progression hard to follow. The referencing is also unclear; for example, 'every bottles mixed up' does not logically connect to the previous step. The lack of precise punctuation and the repetitive use of 'after then' creates a mechanical feel that hinders the flow of information. Improving your use of transition words and ensuring each sentence has a clear subject and verb will significantly improve coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and often inaccurate. You rely on basic verbs like 'throw', 'came', and 'mixed up', which do not accurately describe industrial processes. There are also frequent word-choice errors, such as 'small peace' (should be 'pieces') and 'fresh bottle'. The phrasing 'the man was throw' is grammatically and lexically inappropriate for a formal report. To reach a higher band, you should learn and use topic-specific vocabulary related to manufacturing and recycling, such as 'sorted', 'compressed', 'shredded', 'processed', and 'manufactured'. Avoid informal or narrative language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the response that impede communication. You struggle with verb tenses (e.g., 'the man was throw', 'the truck was transfered'), subject-verb agreement, and pluralization (e.g., 'every bottles', 'small peace'). Many sentences are run-on or lack proper structure, making it difficult to identify the main clause. The use of 'throw' instead of 'through' is a recurring error. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically the use of the passive voice, which is essential for describing processes, and ensure consistent verb tense usage throughout your writing.

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