Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram demonstrates the thorough process of reusing by recycling of the plastic made bottles with graphic presentation.

Overall the process contains 9 steps starting from throwing the used bottle in a hygenic bin to the final step of production of finished goods.

In details, immedietly after using the plastic container consumer place it in a certain box. Then ,when there is sufficient amount of waste materials accumulated those are transported by truck to the sorting centre. After sorting those are compressed into blocks which are followed by crushing and washing to refine. In order to convert them into plastic pellets they are processing through a machine.

Produced pellets are being heated to made raw materials for manufacturing. Then the raw mwterials are stocked and organized to transfer the production factories. After recieving the required ingredients production factoiries start their manufacturing procedures. These material then undergo a comprehensive and subtle designed process to produce usable consumer goods. Then the finished goods after some polishing are distributed to the retail sellers and vendors.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the recycling process, from the initial collection to the final distribution. The overview is clear and identifies the main features of the process. However, the description of the steps is somewhat mechanical and lacks a more sophisticated synthesis of the information. While the main features are reported, the response would benefit from more precise terminology regarding the technical aspects of the process, such as 'granulation' or 'extrusion' instead of general descriptions like 'processing through a machine'. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the development of ideas remains at a descriptive level rather than an analytical one.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized, with a clear progression from the start of the process to the end. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the collection/sorting phase, and the manufacturing phase. Cohesive devices such as 'Then', 'After', and 'In order to' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, and the flow of information is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more varied cohesive devices and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more fluid rather than relying on simple sequential markers.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'reusing by recycling of the plastic made bottles' and 'subtle designed process'. Spelling errors like 'immedietly', 'hygenic', 'mwterials', and 'factoiries' are noticeable and detract from the overall quality. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'compressed', 'crushing', and 'pellets', the range is limited. Improving accuracy in word choice and addressing spelling issues will significantly enhance the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'consumer place it' (subject-verb agreement), 'are processing through a machine' (passive voice error), and 'to made raw materials' (infinitive error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but these are often marred by errors. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct verb forms in passive constructions, and proofreading for basic grammatical slips.

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

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