Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-04

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 5.0)

The chart illustrate the process for recycling plastic bottles into raw materials.

Overall, the diagram manifest that from dustbin to a new product it takes nine steps of processing. The person who put garbage in the dustbin is the first procedure from there it changes character to character their different work.

On the first hand when any human being put waste in dustbin the garbage truck will take away in their warehouse. There is a individual who divide the waste as per the recycling material after removing good materials for reuse. They make a block in which they compress the plastic items after that it goes to the machine which crush the plastic blocks and put in the washing section.

Moreover, after getting clean it made a plastic pallets and they heat for making a raw material. Accordingly following all these finally it's ready in the from of raw material and now it can be made Bottles, Tiffin, Plastic bags etc.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response provides a basic overview of the recycling process, but it fails to effectively highlight the key stages or make meaningful comparisons. The description is somewhat disjointed, and the language used to explain the steps (e.g., 'changes character to character') is unclear and does not accurately reflect the technical nature of the diagram. While the response covers the start and end points, the middle stages are described in a narrative style rather than an analytical one, which is expected for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, focus on grouping the stages logically and using more precise terminology to describe the mechanical processes shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the general flow. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inappropriate, such as 'On the first hand' and 'Accordingly following all these'. These transitions do not always logically connect the ideas. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to the people involved in the process. The progression of ideas is present but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands, as the sentences often feel like a list of actions rather than a cohesive explanation of a cyclical or linear process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often imprecise. Phrases like 'changes character to character' and 'put in the washing section' are awkward and do not demonstrate a strong command of technical or descriptive language. There are also issues with word choice, such as using 'individual' to refer to a worker and 'dustbin' instead of more formal terms like 'collection bin' or 'recycling container'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the reliance on basic, sometimes incorrect, collocations prevents the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('The chart illustrate', 'it made a plastic pallets') and incorrect preposition usage. The sentence structures are relatively simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors that can cause the reader some difficulty. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that plural and singular nouns are used correctly in context.

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

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