Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-05

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 chart illustrates information regarding recycling plastic bottles. This process has eight steps starting from put bottles in recycling bin and ending with producing and products.

To begin with, local people throw their plastic bottles into recycling bin. Secondly, Truck is used for collecting plastic bottles waste and drop it to recycling center where employees sort the bottles into different container according to their color and size. In the next step, they compress into blocks. Then, a machine is used for crushing bottles into small pellets which are washed by using water. After washing , producing pellets goes to machine where it turns into raw material . In the end this raw material is used for producing and products .

Overall,This process has eight steps starting from put bottles in recycling bin and ending with producing and products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the key steps are identified, the description is quite brief and lacks the depth required for a high band. The overview provided at the end is a near-verbatim repetition of the introduction, which does not add value or synthesize the information effectively. To improve, you should expand on the details of each stage—such as describing the transformation of materials more precisely—and ensure the overview highlights the cyclical nature of the process rather than just repeating the introduction.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay uses basic cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Secondly', and 'In the next step' to sequence the process. However, the paragraphing is poor; the response is essentially one long paragraph with a redundant concluding sentence that repeats the introduction. This lack of structural variety and the repetitive nature of the conclusion hinder the flow. To improve, you should organize the information into distinct paragraphs—perhaps one for the collection/sorting phase and another for the processing/manufacturing phase—and use a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is functional but limited. You rely on basic verbs like 'throw', 'used', and 'turns into'. There is a lack of precise terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'shredding', 'granulating', or 'remanufactured'. Additionally, there are errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'producing and products' (which is unclear) and 'put bottles in recycling bin' (which lacks an article). To improve, try to incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to recycling and ensure you use accurate collocations to describe the transformation of materials.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is generally understandable, but there are frequent errors in articles and sentence structure. For example, 'Truck is used' should be 'A truck is used', and 'put bottles in recycling bin' should be 'putting bottles into a recycling bin'. You rely mostly on simple sentence structures. While there is an attempt at passive voice ('a machine is used'), the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on using articles correctly, varying your sentence structure by combining simple sentences into complex ones, and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement throughout your writing.

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

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