Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-07
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 process demonstrate information about the plastic bottle are recycled.
By giving general overview , there are total nine steps in the entire process .Also , all steps are vital , if anyone is missed the whole process will get disturbed .
By having a cursory glance , it is vivid that , firstly ,
used plastic bottles through away the recycle bin .
After that , the machine collected the all waste plastic bottle into the recycle bin .
After words , collected bottle carry in recycling center and the different type of bottles are sorted. Further more , sorted bottle to compressed into the heavy blocks. However , after compressed bottles are crushed through the machine and then washing.
Moving further ahead , it is lucid that , primarily ,
after washing materials , producing plastic pellets .
Along with this , through the pellets all materials healing pellets to from raw materials .
Consequently , all the raw material are ready to make all types of products , such as bottles , clothes, pencil , boxes .
Hence , then the products are used and same process repated again .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, but the description is often imprecise and lacks a clear overview of the cycle. While you mention there are nine steps, the explanation of these steps is sometimes confusing, such as the phrase 'through away the recycle bin' or the unclear description of 'healing pellets'. To improve, ensure you clearly describe the transformation of the material at each stage rather than just listing actions. The summary of the process is present, but it lacks the analytical depth required for a higher band, as it reads more like a list of instructions than a report on a diagram.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay uses some cohesive devices like 'After that', 'Further more', and 'Consequently', but these are often used mechanically or incorrectly. The paragraphing is weak; the entire response is essentially one long block of text, which makes it difficult to follow the logical progression of the process. The transition between the collection phase and the manufacturing phase is abrupt. To improve, group related steps into distinct paragraphs (e.g., collection/sorting, processing, and manufacturing) and ensure that cohesive devices are used to link ideas naturally rather than just acting as sentence starters.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive. There are several instances of awkward word choices and incorrect collocations, such as 'through away the recycle bin' instead of 'discarded into', and 'healing pellets' which is unclear. The phrase 'it is vivid that' is used incorrectly in this context. You rely on basic verbs like 'make' and 'collected'. To reach a higher band, you should use more precise terminology related to industrial processes, such as 'shredded', 'processed', 'manufactured', or 'transformed', and avoid repeating the same words throughout the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('The process demonstrate', 'all the raw material are'), incorrect verb forms ('sorted bottle to compressed', 'process repated'), and missing articles. The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that you use the correct tense for describing a process (usually the present simple passive).
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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