Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-21
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 5.5)
the assigned process chart illustrate information regarding the procedure for recycling plastic bottles are collected and recycled into various new items.
overall it is evident that the process consists of a various steps to make pencil shirt. that begins with catching bottles to end with selling the final product.
firstly, consumer throw plastic bottles into recycling bin. next the truck collect the bottles and transport the recycling factory. once they arrive, worker sort the bottles by hand remove unsuitable items. after sorting the select bottles are compressed together into large tight block.
in the next stage, these block are feed into a machine that crushes the plastic into small flakes this flakes are then washed thoroughly in water to remove any dirt. after cleaning , the flakes are processed into small plastic pellets. finally these pellets are heated and used as raw materials s to manufacture various new items such as t shirts, plastic bag and new plastic bottles.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the manufacturing of new items. However, the overview is slightly inaccurate, as it mentions 'pencil shirt' which is not supported by the diagram, and the summary of the process is somewhat simplistic. While all key stages are identified, the response lacks a clear, analytical comparison or a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. To improve, ensure that the overview accurately reflects the provided visual data and avoid including information not present in the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is logically organized into paragraphs, moving chronologically through the process. Cohesive devices such as 'firstly', 'next', 'once', and 'finally' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some sentences are disjointed. The transition between the collection phase and the processing phase could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction/overview from the body of the process description, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to describe the stages of the process (e.g., 'compressed', 'crushed', 'flakes', 'pellets'). However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'catching bottles' instead of 'collecting' and the inclusion of 'pencil shirt', which appears to be a misinterpretation of the visual data. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and more precise terminology would enhance the quality of the report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the assigned process chart illustrate', 'these block are feed'), missing articles, and punctuation errors. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly pluralization and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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