Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)
How plastic bottles are recycled
if we in the diagram that the how plastic bottles are recycled where it firstly we put the bottles in the bottle dustbin than where garbegarg trucks come and take the all bottles from the dustbin than thirdly it start the process of the recycling center and sorting it than it compressing them into blocks where it send them to the crushing and washing after the crushing and washing it gone through the a machine where it make them as plastic pellets and produce them by heating process if this process is done than because of heating it become in the form of the raw material heating pellets it to raw material when these become raw material than these raw material are useful for making the other things like because of we can again make the bottles of raw material of its own and others like pencil and shirts etc.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to cover the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, mentioning the dustbin, garbage trucks, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and heating to produce plastic pellets and final products like pencils and shirts. However, the explanation is overly simplistic and relies on informal phrasing like 'bottle dustbin' and 'garbegarg trucks'. Furthermore, key comparisons or a clear overview of the cyclical nature of the diagram are missing. The student addresses the task partially, as the development of ideas is limited and unstructured, corresponding to Band 5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0
The text lacks proper paragraphing and consists of one long, run-on sentence. Cohesive devices are repetitive and poorly controlled, such as the excessive and incorrect use of 'than' instead of 'then', and repeated phrases like 'where it'. There is no clear logical progression or organisation of information, making the sequence of steps difficult to follow at times. This lack of structural control and paragraphing places the response firmly at Band 4.
Lexical Resource — Band 4.0
The vocabulary is very basic, repetitive, and heavily influenced by spoken style, evidenced by terms like 'bottle dustbin', 'garbegarg trucks', and 'things like because of we can again make the bottles'. There are numerous spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'garbegarg' and 'gone through the a machine'. While the general meaning of recycling is conveyed, the limited range and frequent inaccuracies strain the reader, aligning with Band 4 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0
The response is characterised by a severe lack of sentence boundaries, consisting almost entirely of one excessively long run-on sentence linked by coordinating conjunctions and prepositions. There is a complete absence of punctuation and complex structures are either absent or heavily flawed, as seen in 'if we in the diagram that the how plastic bottles are recycled'. Frequent grammatical errors heavily disrupt fluency and meaning, supporting a Band 4 score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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