Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31

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 flowchart represents the various industrial steps that take place during the conversion of plastic bottles to raw material used for manufacturing other products.

The process of plastic bottle recycling involves multiple steps. The plastic bottles go from a person's home to the garbage, then it gets sent to the industry where it is processed and raw material is produced.

The first part is the plastic bottle's journey to the recycling centre. The plastic bottles thrown into garbage cans are collected by garbage trucks. These garbage trucks carry thousands of these collected bottles to the recycling centre. There these bottles are sorted into different categories, finally they're ready for processing.

The next part is processing of the bottles into raw material. This involves various industrial processes such as compressing, crushing, washing, producing and heating of plastic pellets and finally, converting the pellets into raw material. This raw material is then utilized to produce various goods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the production of raw materials. However, the description is somewhat generic and lacks detail regarding specific stages shown in a typical recycling diagram, such as the specific types of sorting or the transformation into plastic chips. While the overview is clear, the response would benefit from more precise reporting of the sequence and the specific outputs at each stage. It addresses the task requirements adequately but remains at a descriptive level rather than providing a more analytical summary of the process flow.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, a collection phase, and a processing phase. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate these distinct stages. Cohesive devices such as 'The first part', 'The next part', and 'finally' are used to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show the relationship between the steps more fluidly. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'industrial processes', 'recycling centre', and 'raw material'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the word 'bottles' is used frequently, and the verbs used to describe the process (e.g., 'processed', 'produced') are quite basic. To achieve a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to recycling, such as 'shredded', 'granulated', or 'reprocessed'. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choices do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some accurate complex sentences, there are also minor grammatical slips, such as 'the plastic bottles go from a person's home to the garbage, then it gets sent' (subject-verb agreement error: 'it' should be 'they'). Punctuation is generally correct, though some sentences could be improved for better flow. The control of grammar is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but the range of structures is not yet sophisticated enough to reach the higher bands.

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

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