Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-26
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 recyled in a recyling plant.
Overall, the recycling process consists of 9 stages, beginning with the collection of used plastic bottles and ending with the production of new materials. The main stages 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 a recycling plant for sorting reusable and non reusable plastic bottles. Once the bottles are sorted, Non reusable bottles are compressed into blocks, Before it is and the resulting blocks are crushed through a crusher, Before it is washed in a bleach solution which is used to produce plastic pellets.
Furthermore, the produced plastic pellets are heated to form raw material, which is then stored for manufacturing purposes. Finally, the raw materials are used to produce a variety of products like containners, T-shirts, pens, shopin bags, etc and many more. according to the requirement.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response covers all stages of the process, from collection to the final products. You have successfully identified the main features and provided a clear overview in the introduction. However, the description of the process is slightly inaccurate in places; for instance, you mention that the bleach solution is used to produce plastic pellets, whereas the diagram suggests the washing process is a separate step before pellet production. To improve, ensure you carefully track the sequence of the arrows and labels. The summary is otherwise well-structured and addresses the requirements of the prompt effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the stages. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'Before it is'. Additionally, the sentence structure in the second paragraph is a bit fragmented, which occasionally disrupts the flow. Using a wider variety of linking phrases and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would help improve the overall cohesion of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'manufacturing'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'recyled', 'containners', and 'shopin', which detract from the professional tone. Additionally, some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'many more' and 'according to the requirement', which are a bit informal for an Academic Task 1 response. Focusing on accurate spelling and using more precise, academic collocations will help you reach a higher band score.
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 several grammatical errors, particularly with punctuation and sentence construction. For example, the phrase 'Before it is and the resulting blocks are crushed' is grammatically incorrect and confusing. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and capitalization, such as 'Non reusable' and 'T-shirts'. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed correctly without unnecessary repetition or fragmented clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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