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 process diagram layout the re-use process of plastic bottles. Overall, it is a cyclical process which comprises of total nine stages, beginning to collecting it from trash to forming their final process of manufacturing products.
In the first stage, workers are taking it from trash bin, and put in bag after collecting all of the bottles they move to next step. To loading in truck for dispatching, to recycling centre, where they are sorting, according to specific categories of each bottle such as, mineral water bottles, cold drinks bottle. Then they are deciding what to keep and what to distort as, they are not useful. After completing these three steps, it all set to deliver factory for manufacturing process.
Next, in the fourth stage, plastic bottles are ready to compressing into blocks and then undergoes to crushing method, at this point all crushed material sum up in container and washed side by side. When crushed material will be cleaned they followed to other station. In this phase, machine heat used to produce raw material from plastic pellets, which proceed to form their final products such as plastic container, pens, bags, shirt.
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 the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the production of new items. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the cyclical nature of the process beyond the introductory sentence. Some details are slightly inaccurate or confusing, such as the mention of 'distorting' bottles, which is not standard terminology for recycling. While the main features are identified, the response would benefit from a more analytical approach to the flow of the diagram rather than simply listing steps. The summary is sufficient to meet the requirements, but the development of the process description could be more precise.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is organised into three paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'In the first stage', 'Next', and 'In this phase', which provide a logical structure. However, some transitions are slightly awkward or repetitive, and the referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'it all set to deliver'). The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the mechanical nature of the linking words prevents the response from achieving a higher band. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the collection, sorting, and manufacturing phases.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'distort' instead of 'discard' or 'reject', and 'sum up' instead of 'collected' or 'accumulated'. The phrase 'workers are taking it from trash bin' is simplistic. While the student attempts to use process-related vocabulary like 'recycling centre', 'manufacturing process', and 'plastic pellets', the overall range is limited. Some errors in word choice, such as 'compressing into blocks' (which should be 'compressed'), slightly hinder the professional tone required for an Academic Task 1 report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('workers are taking it', 'it all set to deliver') and incorrect verb forms ('ready to compressing', 'undergoes to crushing'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and unnecessary commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of grammatical slips prevents the writing from being considered accurate. The student should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and verb tense consistency to improve their score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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