Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the process for recycling plastic bottles, form collecting plastic bottles and making this waste material for reusing the recycled material to make products.

Overall this process is divided into 9 parts, each part has its own nature and a common goal towards producing products through waste materials. At first, waste plastic bottles thrown in the bins are collected by waste collection cargo truck, than the waste is sorted manually so the only recyclable material pass this stage. The bottles are than compressed into blocks so they can be crushed in to smaller pieces. After washing, the material is processed through a machine which heats the crushed pallets to form raw material. The raw material is then stored is ready to be converted into usable products. In the final stage which is stage 9, these raw materials are used to make products such as pencil shirts or bottles and wearable shirts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the final product. However, the description is somewhat superficial. While you mention 9 parts, the explanation of the middle stages (e.g., 'processed through a machine') lacks detail regarding the specific transformations shown in the diagram. To reach a higher band, you should aim to describe the process more precisely, for example, by explaining how the heat turns crushed plastic into raw material pellets. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the cyclical nature of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized logically, following the chronological order of the process. You use some cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'After', and 'In the final stage' to guide the reader. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire response is written as one block of text. A clear division between the introduction/overview and the body paragraphs would improve the structure. Additionally, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing (e.g., 'these raw materials') is clear but could be more varied to enhance the flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to describe the stages of recycling. You use relevant terms like 'sorted', 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'raw material'. However, there are some inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'making this waste material for reusing' and 'pencil shirts', which is likely a misinterpretation of the diagram. The range is somewhat limited, and you rely on basic descriptors. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing when describing industrial processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'form collecting' (instead of 'from'), 'than the waste is sorted' (should be 'then'), and 'bottles thrown in the bins are collected' (missing article). There are also issues with punctuation and missing words, such as 'stored is ready'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct word order will help improve your accuracy.

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

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