Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24
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 diagram illustrates how plastic bottles are recycled in a recycle plant.
Overall, the recycling process consist of 9 stages, begining with the collection of used plastic bottles and ending with production of new materials. The main stage include collection, sorting, production of plastic pellets and production of end products.
The process of recycling plastic bottles starts with collecting used plastic bottles then it is taken to recycle plant for sorting reuseable and non reusable plastic bottles. Onces the bottles are sorted, Non reusable bottles are compressed into blocks, Before it is and the resulting blocks are crushed through crusher, Before it is washed in bleach solution which is used to produce plastic pellets.
Furthermore, the produce plastic pellets are heated to form raw material, which is then stored for manufacturing purposes. Finally, the raw materials are used to produce variety of products like containers, T-shirts, pen, shopping bags, etc and many more.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response successfully identifies the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the creation of end products. You have provided a clear overview in the introduction and followed the sequence logically. However, the description of the process is slightly inaccurate in places; for example, you mention 'bleach solution' which is not typically part of standard plastic recycling, and the description of the crushing and washing stages is a bit repetitive. To improve, ensure you focus strictly on the information provided in the diagram and avoid adding external assumptions. The summary of the main features is adequate, but more precise detail on the transition between stages would strengthen the response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'Finally' to link ideas. However, the use of transition words is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the repetitive use of 'Before it is' within the same sentence. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear; for instance, 'it is taken' lacks a clear subject. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would help the flow of the text significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'compressed', 'manufacturing', and 'raw material'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'recycle plant' (should be 'recycling plant') and 'produce plastic pellets' (should be 'produced'). The phrase 'etc and many more' is informal and should be avoided in an academic report. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to industrial processes and ensure that your word forms (e.g., noun vs. adjective) are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the quality of the writing. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'The main stage include'), missing articles (e.g., 'in recycle plant'), and incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'begining' is misspelled, 'produce plastic pellets' should be 'produced'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and capitalization. To improve, proofread your work specifically for these basic grammatical errors and ensure that your sentence structures are consistently accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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