Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The diagram illustrates the process of plastic bottle's recycling.
Overall, the process involves 9 steps, starting with disposal of plastic bottles in a separate bin and ending with production of different products by using plastic bottles. The process can be divided into three main phases: collecting, sorting and manufacturing.
The first step of the process is to throwing 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 transferred to a machine to produced plastic pellets, At seventh stage, the heating pellets are moved forward to form raw material. Finally, from raw material the variety of products are produced.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by providing a clear overview and summarising the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process. The student correctly identifies the total number of steps and outlines the three main phases: collecting, sorting, and manufacturing. Key features such as disposal, transportation, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production, and final manufacturing are reported appropriately and supported by comparisons or sequential descriptions. The overview is well-placed and accurate, fulfilling the requirements for Academic Task 1 effectively. Minor details could have been further elaborated, but overall the task is covered well, justifying a solid band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The writing demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing the stages chronologically. Cohesive devices such as 'starting with', 'Overall', 'The first step', 'after that', 'At this stage', 'Following this', and 'Finally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure (e.g., frequent use of 'At this stage'), which prevents the response from achieving a higher band score. Paragraphing is used appropriately.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for a process diagram, including terms such as 'disposal', 'transported', 'recycling center', 'compressing', 'crushing', 'washing', and 'plastic pellets'. There are some successful attempts at less common vocabulary items. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'plastic bottle's recycling' (plastic bottle recycling), 'to throwing plastic bottles' (throwing plastic bottles), and 'heating pellets' (heated pellets). Despite these errors, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the meaning clearly and communication is not impeded.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an ability to use subordinate clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'starting with disposal...', 'by using plastic bottles'). However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward constructions throughout the text, such as 'is to throwing' (should be 'is to throw'), 'and move forward' (subject-verb agreement/tense inconsistency), and 'to produced' (should be 'to produce'). Punctuation slips are also present, such as a comma splice before 'At seventh stage'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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