Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-02

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 illustrates the procedure of plastic bottles being recycled for consumer use.

Overall, the diagram depicts a nine step sequential process. Where the bottles are sorted and undergoes through various manual and mechanical procedure, under heavy machinery to obtain multiple products.

Firstly, the bottles are dumped by people in the specified plastic bin later, it is collected by a garbage collectors in a vehicle. In continuation to, it is sent to the recycling center where the bottles are sorted accordingly for further purposes. Then they gathered to be compressed into square blocks.

Furthermore, the compressed blocks are crushed via a crusher and led inside a washer to wash the excess dirt. Leading to it, the crushed material is placed inside a machine for producing plastic pellets and those plastic pellets are heated under high temperatures to produce raw material. Additionally, the raw material are stacked together and are further manufactured for producing various articles for consumers such as bottles, lunch boxes, clothes and shopping bags.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the final manufacturing of consumer goods. You have successfully identified the main features and provided a logical summary. However, the overview is slightly weak; while you mention a 'nine step sequential process', it would be more effective to briefly highlight the transformation from waste to raw material. The description of the process is generally accurate, though some steps, such as the distinction between the crusher and the washer, could be described with more precision to fully capture the technical nature of the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is logically organized, moving chronologically through the stages of the process. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'In continuation to'. However, some of these transitions are slightly awkward or non-standard, such as 'In continuation to' and 'Leading to it', which disrupts the flow. Paragraphing is present, but the introduction and the first body paragraph are combined in a way that makes the structure feel a bit cramped. Improving the variety and naturalness of your linking phrases would help elevate this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'compressed', 'mechanical procedure', and 'raw material'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'dumped by people' (which sounds informal) and 'raw material are stacked' (subject-verb agreement error). Additionally, 'various articles' is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes, such as 'processed', 'converted', or 'reconstituted', and ensure that your word choices are consistently formal and appropriate for an academic report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'Where the bottles are sorted and undergoes' contains a subject-verb agreement error. 'The raw material are stacked' is another instance of a plural verb with a singular noun. There are also punctuation and phrasing issues, such as 'In continuation to, it is sent'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the process, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and refining sentence structure will improve your accuracy.

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