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 plastics bottle's recycling.
Overall, the process involves 9-steps, starting with throwing bottles in a separate bin and ending with production of different products by use plastic bottles. The process can be divided into three main phases: collecting, sorting and manufacturing.
The first step of the process is to throw plastic bottles in a separate bin and after that, the bottles will be collected from there and transported to a recycling center through a truck. At this stage, the plastic bottles are sorted, and move forward to the next step of compressing.
At this stage, plastic bottles are converted into blocks after compressing and then move forward for crushing. Following this, the crushing material is washed at this stage and transfer toa machine to produce plastic pellets, At seventh-stage, the heating pallets are move forward to form raw material. Finally, from raw material the variety of products are produced.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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. An overview is provided in the second paragraph, outlining the total number of steps and the three main phases (collecting, sorting, and manufacturing), which fulfills the requirement to provide an overview. The student selects and reports key stages accurately, from throwing bottles in a bin to the final production of various products. However, there are minor inaccuracies in describing the sequence, such as stating '9-steps' whereas diagrams of this type usually follow a specific sequence without strictly numbering them all in the text, but the steps are generally well covered. Ideas are adequately extended and supported throughout the response. Therefore, a solid band 6.5 or 7.0 is achieved, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well due to addressing all parts, though some minor details lack full elaboration.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The text demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, an overview paragraph, and subsequent body paragraphs that follow the chronological stages of the process. Cohesive devices are used to link steps, such as 'after that', 'At this stage', 'Following this', and 'Finally'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally mechanical or repetitive (e.g., overusing 'At this stage'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently to divide the introduction/overview from the detailed body steps. While the organization is logical and guides the reader through the diagram smoothly, the repetitive transitional phrases prevent it from reaching a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating process-related terminology such as 'collecting', 'sorting', 'manufacturing', 'compressing', 'crushing', and 'plastic pellets'. There are, however, noticeable word choice and morphological errors, such as 'plastics bottle's recycling' instead of 'plastic bottle recycling' and 'transfer toa' containing a spacing typo. Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, and awkward phrasings appear, such as 'crushing material' instead of 'crushed material' and 'heating pallets' instead of 'heated pellets'. Despite these inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points of the diagram without severely impeding the reader's understanding.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'Overall, the process involves 9-steps, starting with throwing bottles in a separate bin and ending with production...' and 'At this stage, plastic bottles are converted into blocks...'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward structures, including 'by use plastic bottles' instead of 'by using plastic bottles', 'move forward' used repeatedly in awkward contexts, and punctuation issues like a comma splice before 'At seventh-stage'. Furthermore, 'transfer toa machine' shows a minor typographical error. The frequency of these non-systematic errors places the response securely at Band 6, as simple sentences are generally accurate while complex structures contain persistent minor flaws.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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