Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-25

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)

Given diagram describing the recycleing process of plastic bottels with an illusrated charts that is showing all process in sequence of steps with purpose of each stage.

There is nine steps that are showing of plactic recycleing with heading of each step that are necessriy aspect of it.

Firstly this cycle starts with collecting of plastic bottels in the community dustbeen in which people put their used plastic and then a storage ven comes and grabe all bottels of plastic and store in its storage space and take it to recycling center then the third step is they seprates unneeded things from bottels and they compress all the authentic plastic with a compresser mechine in the shape of rectengular and then fifth part is there is a mechine that cuts plastic with its cutter and converter it into grains then left into water to be washed then in the sixth step they melt all the plastic granis into kind of saliva by heating it and it appers into some raw shape that can use to give it any kind of shape.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but it fails to provide a clear overview or summary of the process as a whole. The description is largely a list of steps rather than a cohesive report. Furthermore, the response is incomplete; it stops abruptly after the sixth step, failing to describe the final stages of the process shown in the diagram. This omission means the task is only partially addressed. To improve, ensure you include a clear introductory overview and describe all stages of the process shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is divided into three paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The second paragraph is a long, run-on sentence structure that lacks effective transition between the various stages. While some cohesive devices like 'Firstly' and 'then' are used, they are repetitive and mechanical. The lack of clear paragraphing for the different stages of the process makes the text difficult to follow. Improving the use of linking words and breaking the process into logical, distinct steps would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and contains frequent spelling errors, such as 'recycleing', 'bottels', 'illusrated', 'dustbeen', 'seprates', and 'mechine'. These errors are distracting and occasionally impede the reader's understanding. The word choice is also quite basic; for example, describing the melted plastic as 'kind of saliva' is inaccurate and inappropriate for an academic report. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on accurate spelling and use more precise, technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'shredded', 'granulated', or 'polymer'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures and contains numerous grammatical errors. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'There is nine steps' and 'that are showing of plactic recycleing'. Punctuation is also problematic, with the second paragraph consisting of one very long, poorly punctuated sentence. The use of articles and prepositions is often incorrect, for example, 'in the community dustbeen' instead of 'in community bins'. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common grammatical slips.

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

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