Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-23

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 below illustrates the overall production process of plastic bottles recycling.

Overall, It is cycle process, the process contain 6 stages. The process commence from dump to plastic in the dustbin, and the process conclude with the produced products. Then the process restart again.

People throw their plastic waste in the dustbin. After that, the drum tract collect those wastes and transport it to recycling center. In the recycling center sorting process in completed with the help of human labors. In the next step, a blocks of waste produced using a compressor. This block then went through crushing machine, the output is small plastic pallets, which dropped into a washing area for cleaning. Then the pallets are heated to produce raw materials. At the end, this raw materials are used for producing end products like pencil, bags and cloths. The process starts again from where it began the dustbin.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers all stages of the process, from the initial collection to the final product. However, the overview is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear summary of the main trends or features. While the stages are identified, the description is quite mechanical and lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band. For instance, the transition between stages is described in a very linear, step-by-step manner without grouping related actions or highlighting the cyclical nature of the process effectively. To improve, focus on synthesizing information rather than just listing each step sequentially.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, which is a reasonable structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly with the frequent use of 'the process' to start sentences. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'After that' and 'In the next step', but they are somewhat mechanical and repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the paragraphing could be improved by separating the initial collection phase from the technical recycling stages to create a more logical flow. The overall arrangement is coherent, but the lack of varied linking words limits the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'drum tract' (likely referring to a collection truck) and 'a blocks of waste' (grammatical error). The use of basic verbs like 'throw', 'collect', and 'produce' is functional but does not demonstrate the range expected for higher bands. To improve, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'transported', 'sorted', 'compressed', 'shredded', and 'reprocessed'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the process contain', 'this raw materials are') and article usage ('a blocks of waste'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or compound, with very few attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation (such as the comma splice in 'This block then went through crushing machine, the output is...') indicate a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage is essential.

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

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