Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01
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 given below illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles and then manufacturing them into new products.
Overall, there are nine steps in the process of recycling plastic bottles with major steps for instance compressing, crushing, and making producing new products from the raw material. This process goes on and does not have an end.
In the first 2 steps, the used products are disposed by the consumers in their near by respective recycling bins and then the waste is taken to the recycling centre by the recycling trucks. Then the waste is discharged in the facility and the employees working there start segregating the dump with recycling waste and non recycling waste and then after, they proceed with the items which are valid and then sent for compressing them into huge blocks. The huge blocks made up of waste is sent to 5th step which is crushing, the particles after crushing the blocks are washed and then sent for producing plastic pallets and then the pallets are heated to make raw material out of it and clothes, utensils and other human made products are produced and then they are use by the consumers with the same process used.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the production of new items. However, the description is somewhat repetitive and lacks a clear, analytical focus on the key features. While the overview mentions the cyclical nature of the process, the body paragraph is essentially a list of steps rather than a summary that highlights the most significant stages. To improve, you should group related steps more effectively and ensure the summary focuses on the transformation of the material rather than just narrating every single action in the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph. However, the body paragraph is quite dense and relies heavily on simple connectors like 'then' and 'and then', which makes the flow feel mechanical. The progression of ideas is logical, but the lack of paragraph breaks between the different stages of the process makes the text harder to follow. Using a wider variety of cohesive devices, such as 'subsequently', 'following this', or 'once the material has been processed', would improve the flow and logical progression of the report.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for a clear description of the process. You use some relevant terms like 'segregating', 'recycling centre', and 'raw material'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'making producing new products' (redundant) and 'human made products' (should be 'manufactured goods'). The range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic verbs. Incorporating more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes would help elevate the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'disposed by the consumers in their near by respective recycling bins' (should be 'disposed of by consumers in their nearby recycling bins') and 'they are use by the consumers' (should be 'used'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some very long, run-on sentences that lack necessary commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence boundary punctuation will be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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