Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-28

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 here illustrates the full process of recycling plastic bottles into nine steps, where the plastic bottles are converted into whole new products. The very first step of recycling is to throw the useless or old plastic items into recycling trash bins, where such waste plastic items of the garbage bags are collected by a big loading truck. The truck then delivers it at the recycling center. Here the received trash is sorted into two categories, whether they can be recycled or not. Then the recycled plastic is compressed into blocks and crushed from where it is washed properly. After that, the washed plastic is transferred into a machine which converts it into plastic pellets. The next step is to send the plastic pellets for heating to generate raw material. The process of heating pellets helps to create raw material. At last, the generated raw material is useful for making new products, which is the end product of the process of recycling the plastic bottles.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the creation of new products. However, it lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole, which is essential for a high band score in Task 1. While the steps are described, the response is presented as a single block of text rather than being structured into logical paragraphs. The description is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the final sentences regarding the heating and raw material stages, which could have been synthesized more effectively to highlight the cyclical nature of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as a single paragraph, which significantly impacts the coherence and cohesion score. A well-structured Task 1 response should be divided into an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that group related stages of the process. While the writer uses some cohesive devices like 'Then', 'After that', and 'At last', the lack of paragraphing makes the text feel like a list of steps rather than a cohesive report. The logical flow is present, but the overall organization is insufficient for a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the reader to follow the process. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'useless or old plastic items' and 'big loading truck' are quite informal and lack the precision expected in an academic report. There is an attempt to use process-specific vocabulary such as 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'pellets', which is positive, but the overall lexical control is basic and lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'delivers it at the recycling center' (should be 'to') and 'crushed from where it is washed' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). The sentence 'The process of heating pellets helps to create raw material' is redundant given the previous sentence. While the errors do not impede communication, the range of structures is limited, and the control over complex sentences is not consistent enough to reach a higher band.

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

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