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, image illustrate the information about the recycling plastic bottles. And how the plastic bottles are recycled and should be saver for the environment as well as for the health of the humans.

Overall, there are nine main stages of the recycling process. it begins with people putting the plastic bottles in the dustbin and the recycling bins can collect that material that will already being used to make a variety of new products.

First, used plastic bottles are placed in a special recycling bins. These bins are then collecting by the truck and transported to a recycling factory or center. At the center, the bottles are separated from the other waste. The selected bottles are then compressed into large blocks

Next these bottles are crushed into small pieces , and could washed properly and after finishing the crushed particles and small pieces are vanished into the machine. These pallets are then heated and after the rest of the pallets became a form of raw material. which could help to make different types of products. For example we could make plastic bottles, lunch boxes and clothes. Finally these products can be used by consumers and recycled again and completing, the cycle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the overview is slightly weak as it includes unnecessary commentary about environmental benefits rather than focusing on the key features of the process. While the stages are identified, the description of the process is sometimes imprecise, such as saying particles are 'vanished into the machine.' The response would benefit from a more objective tone, as the task requires a factual summary of the diagram rather than an opinion on environmental health. Overall, the main features are presented, but the development of the process description lacks the necessary technical precision for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the stages of the process. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'and could washed properly and after finishing the crushed particles' is grammatically disjointed and makes the flow of information awkward. The referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'these pallets' without a clear antecedent. While there is a logical progression from the collection of bottles to the final product, the connections between sentences need to be smoother and more varied to achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for describing technical processes. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'vanished into the machine' (likely meaning 'fed into') and 'the recycling bins can collect that material that will already being used.' The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic verbs and nouns. To improve, you should focus on using more specific terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'sorted,' 'processed,' 'extruded,' or 'manufactured,' rather than general terms like 'make' or 'vanished.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the image illustrate,' 'bins are then collecting') and sentence structure (e.g., 'The selected bottles are then compressed into large blocks' followed by a sentence fragment starting with 'Next these bottles...'). The use of articles is also inconsistent, and there are punctuation errors throughout. While the writer attempts some complex structures, they are often faulty. A focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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