Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 sequential procedures of recycling plastic bottles.

The process takes about 9 steps, from throwing away the bottles into the trashcans to turning the raw material into products ,like bottles , shirts, pencils, shopping bags etc. The whole process requires a number of mechanical instruments and human touch.

At first, the plastic bottles thrown away at the dustbins are collected and sent to the recycling centre by truck. At the recycling centre, sorting of the plastic bottles is done. This process is completed by human that rejects the bottles unfit for recycling. After sorting, the bottles are turned into blocks by compressing, which is transferred for crushing in the following step. In the fifth step of the procedure, the compressed blocks are crushed, which is washed by water for the next step. The crushing process is done by a heavy mechanical machine.

Next, the washed plastic particles are sent to a grinder that turns it into plastic pallets. The pallets are then heated so that the raw material is formed. In the next step, raw material is collected and stacked so that it can produce different products. Finally, it is again sent to dustbins.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process well. You have successfully identified the key steps, from collection to the production of new items. However, the summary could be improved by providing a more analytical overview in the introduction. While you mention the process has 9 steps, highlighting the cyclical nature of the process (as shown by the final arrow returning to the dustbins) would have strengthened the 'overview' requirement. The description of the stages is accurate, but ensure that you focus on the most significant features rather than listing every single step in a narrative fashion to better meet the requirements for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear progression from the initial collection to the final product. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction from the body of the process. You use some cohesive devices like 'At first', 'After sorting', and 'Next' to guide the reader through the steps. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the connection between sentences is smoother. For instance, the final sentence about returning to dustbins feels slightly disconnected from the previous step of producing new products.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the process, using terms like 'recycling centre', 'compressing', 'crushing', and 'pallets'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'mechanical instruments' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'human touch' (which is a bit informal). You also have a slight error in 'plastic pallets'—the diagram likely refers to 'pellets'. While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise technical collocations would elevate your score. Overall, the range is sufficient to communicate the process clearly without significant difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'sorting of the plastic bottles is done' (passive voice is fine, but the phrasing is slightly clunky) and 'which is washed' (the relative pronoun 'which' should refer to the 'blocks' or 'particles', making the subject-verb agreement incorrect). Additionally, 'This process is completed by human' should be 'by humans'. While these errors are present, they do not impede the overall understanding of the process. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using more varied complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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

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