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)

The diagram below shows how the process for recycling plastic bottles. Overall, there is nine steps required to plastic bottles recycled. Starting from the throw the bottle in the basket till producing the products.

First of all, a person hold the bottle and put in the basket. Furthermore, a truck took all the garbage from the garbage basket and sent to the recycling center for the purpose of sorting. After sorting, they make the compressed into the blocks for the objectives of crushing. Moreover, washing the raw materials and producing the plastic pallets for the purpose of raw material. This materials are used in different purposes at the present era. In the current scenario, people use this material for the purpose making more bags, shirts, pencils and plastic articles. These products are used in our daily life.

In short, recycling of the garbage is very necessary in the present era.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the cyclical nature of the process. While the key steps are mentioned, the analysis is limited, and the response relies heavily on listing steps rather than synthesizing the information. The inclusion of personal opinions like 'recycling of the garbage is very necessary' is inappropriate for an Academic Task 1 report, which should remain objective and focused solely on the provided data. To improve, focus on describing the flow of the process more fluidly and avoid adding external commentary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into three short paragraphs, which is a basic structure. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'First of all', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover', they are often used mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., 'In the current scenario'). The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the transition between the process description and the final conclusion is abrupt. The paragraphing is present but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. Improving the use of linking words to show logical relationships between stages would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic phrasing like 'for the purpose of' or 'in the present era'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'make the compressed into the blocks' and 'producing the plastic pallets for the purpose of raw material'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to describe the technical aspects of the recycling process accurately. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to industrial processes and avoid repeating the same phrases throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede readability. Examples include 'there is nine steps', 'a person hold the bottle', and 'this materials are used'. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex structures often result in errors, such as 'Starting from the throw the bottle in the basket till producing the products'. Punctuation is generally functional, but the lack of control over basic subject-verb agreement and tense consistency significantly lowers the score. Focusing on fundamental grammar rules and proofreading for basic errors is essential.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.