Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The process provides key information about how plastic bottles are recycled.
Overall, it is clear from the graph that the recycling process is a multi-stage, cyclic process that involves nine steps. In addition, the process begins with plastic bottles collected from rubbish and taken to recycling centres, whereas it ends with transforming them into raw material to produce new products.
According to what is shown, the process starts with used bottles thrown. After that, plastic bottles are collected and taken to a recycling centre to be sorted. Once this has been completed, bottles are compressed into blocks, then crushed. In the next step, crushed bottles are washed and put into a machine that produces plastic pellets.
In terms of the final stage, plastic pellets are heated to form raw material. Finally, raw material is used to produce products such as pens, new bottles, and t-shirts.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, from collection to the production of new items. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the score. While the overview is clear and the sequence is logical, the description lacks detail in certain areas, such as the specific transformation of the blocks into pellets. To improve, ensure you expand on the descriptions of each stage to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive summary of the visual information provided in the diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The use of cohesive devices such as 'After that', 'Once this has been completed', and 'In terms of the final stage' helps guide the reader through the process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different phases of the cycle. However, the cohesion is somewhat mechanical, and the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases to connect the steps more fluidly rather than relying on simple sequential markers.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'recycling centres', 'compressed', and 'raw material'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'used bottles thrown', which is grammatically awkward and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise technical vocabulary related to industrial processes and avoid simplistic phrasing. The current range is sufficient to convey the meaning but lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'used bottles thrown' (which should be 'used bottles are thrown away') and 'the process starts with used bottles thrown'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do indicate a lack of control over more complex sentence constructions. Increasing the variety of sentence types and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement will help improve your score in this area.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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