Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-12
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 diagram illustrates the procedure for the recycling of plastic bottles and different steps take place in industries in producing useful products from it.
Overall, the process of recycling has started from collecting the plastic bottles from the large bins and then these wastes are operated in factories and coverted into raw materials providing daily accesories like clothes, pencil and plastic bottles.
In first step the garbage is collected from dustbins by a truck and these plastic bottles are sorted from the waste in the Recycling Centre. After separating the bottles, they are transported to factories where they get compressed into blocks. These square blocks are crushed into small pieces and deposited into the water for washing.
In another step, these pieces are transformed into palstic pallets and then heating of these pallet are taken place. After heating, these pallets are turned into raw materials and further these raw materials are used in producing end products.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student has successfully addressed all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process. An adequate overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the overall journey from collection to final production. Key stages such as sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pelletising, and heating are identified and reported, although some steps like crushing and washing are grouped together concisely. The information is generally accurate according to the visual data provided, fulfilling the core requirements of Task 1 by selecting and reporting the main features without unnecessary minor details.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a clear overall progression, guiding the reader logically from the initial collection stage down to the final product manufacturing. Paragraphing is utilised appropriately, separating the introduction, overview, and body paragraphs into distinct functional blocks. Cohesive devices are employed to connect the steps, such as 'In first step', 'After separating', and 'In another step'. However, some cohesive transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as using vague pronouns like 'it' or 'these wastes' without completely clear antecedents. Overall, the text maintains a coherent arrangement that is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a mechanical process, employing appropriate terms such as 'recycling', 'compressed', 'blocks', 'crushed', 'palstic pallets' (with a spelling slip), and 'raw materials'. While the vocabulary is generally sufficient to communicate the main points, there are noticeable spelling errors ('coverted' instead of converted, 'accesories' instead of accessories, 'palstic' instead of plastic) and occasional awkward collocations like 'these wastes are operated in factories'. Less common lexical items are attempted but lack complete precision, placing this response firmly in the Band 6 category for lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using introductory prepositional phrases and relative or participial clauses like 'providing daily accesories like clothes, pencil and plastic bottles'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing choices throughout, including subject-verb agreement issues ('different steps take place... in producing', 'heating of these pallet are taken place'). Punctuation and article use are occasionally faulty. Nonetheless, these errors do not severely impede communication, and the meaning of the process remains largely clear to the reader, supporting a Band 6 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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