Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-30

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 the process of how plastic bottles are recycled then produced plastic products.

Overall, the entire process consists of nine distinct stages, beginning with garbage disposal in dustbin and culminating in producing products such as plastic items, clothes and pencil.

To begin with, initial stage is plastic garbage disposal in dustbin. Truck carry all plastic wastes, then it goes for recycling centre sorting then plastic bottles put into boxes. there are two different types of box first box right sign box its mean they can put bottles into box. All plastic bottles carried by compressing into blocks. next stage is crushing bottles by crush machine, After that washing started. producing plastic pellets in the machine. Then heating pellets to raw material form.

Turning to the next stages, raw materials are used for making products like pencil, plastic bottles and clothes. these all step is recycling process and make new items.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear, analytical overview. While you identify the nine stages, the explanation of the process is fragmented. For instance, the mention of 'right sign box' is unclear and does not accurately reflect the visual information provided in the diagram. To improve, ensure you group the stages more logically (e.g., collection, processing, and manufacturing) rather than listing them sequentially. The overview is present but could be more descriptive regarding the transformation of materials.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'To begin with', 'next stage', 'Turning to the next stages'). There are instances where the flow between sentences is abrupt, such as the transition between the sorting and the compressing stages. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'these all step') is grammatically accurate would significantly enhance the logical flow of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple verbs like 'carry', 'put', and 'started', which do not accurately describe industrial processes. There are also some awkward phrasings, such as 'garbage disposal in dustbin' and 'right sign box', which impede clarity. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to manufacturing and recycling, such as 'transported', 'sorted', 'compressed', and 'raw material conversion'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('in dustbin', 'in machine'), incorrect verb forms ('Truck carry', 'washing started'), and punctuation errors. The sentence structure is often repetitive, relying on simple subject-verb-object patterns. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of sentence structures, such as passive voice, which is essential for describing processes, and ensure subject-verb agreement and article usage are consistent throughout the text.

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

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