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 process of recycling plastic bottles.
Overall, there is a nine steps of recycling process. It started with collection of usable plastic products, after that sorting at recycling center and enter into some mechanical process and the final step is producing new products.
To begin with, Collecting all plastic products and transported to the recycling center by vehicles such as trucks, where sorting porcess occured and plastic bottles were separated. The fourth stage is making blocks by using compression in the compression chamber. Follwed by, blocks enter into a crushing machine, small plastic particals are produce and washed it by some chemical and water. The next process is producing plastic pellets by machine. After that, producing raw materials from pellets by undergoing heating process. Raw materials stored in suitable containers. The final step is producing different end products such as bottles, plastic bags, pencils or pens, lunch boxes and so on.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student successfully highlights the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process, covering the various stages from collection to the production of end products. The overview statement correctly notes the overall nature of the process, identifying it as a nine-step cycle. However, some details are slightly mechanical and list-like, and certain steps lack full development or comparative elements. Nevertheless, all major parts of the diagram are addressed adequately, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 6.0 performance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text demonstrates a clear overall progression from the beginning to the end of the process, using sequence markers such as 'To begin with', 'Follwed by', and 'The final step'. Paragraphing is attempted, grouping the introduction, overview, and body details separately. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, with run-on structures and awkward transitions (e.g., 'where sorting porcess occured and plastic bottles were separated'). Referencing and punctuation are occasionally imprecise, limiting the score to a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms like 'sorting center', 'compression chamber', 'crushing machine', 'plastic pellets', and 'raw materials'. There are, however, notable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'porcess' instead of 'process', 'Follwed' instead of 'Followed', and 'particals' instead of 'particles'. Despite these slips, meaning is not obscured, and the lexical range is sufficient for a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, though grammatical control is inconsistent. There are noticeable errors in verb forms, agreement, and fragment sentences, such as 'It started with collection... after that sorting at recycling center and enter into some mechanical process' and 'small plastic particals are produce and washed it by some chemical and water'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they recur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching Band 6.0, landing firmly at Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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