Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
The diagram depicts the recycleing process of plastic bottles. After the discarding of the waste bottle, they are further collected my waste managemnet companies and headed towards recycling centre.
Eventually the recycling centres sort these and allow the compressing of the bottles into blocks. This process is followed by the crushing of bottles. The washing process further produces plastic pellets. They are then heated to form raw material.
Lastly, the raw material is further utilized in making of end products like plastic bags, bottles or lunch boxes.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The student has attempted to describe the recycling process of plastic bottles, mentioning several key stages such as collection, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and melting into raw materials. However, the response falls significantly short of the required 150-word minimum, containing only 87 words. Because the length requirement is not met, the task response is severely underdeveloped and incomplete, preventing a higher score. While the main features are identified in a basic manner, the lack of adequate length and detail leads to a penalty under Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text demonstrates some basic logical sequencing with the use of transitional markers like 'After', 'Eventually', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader through the stages of the diagram. However, the overall organisation is hindered by the extremely short length, resulting in a single fragmented paragraph structure rather than properly developed paragraphing. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as shifting abruptly between plural and singular pronouns ('discarding of the waste bottle, they are further collected'). Cohesive devices are used mechanically rather than flexibly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for a basic description of the process, including terms like 'recycling centre', 'plastic pellets', and 'raw material'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('recycleing', 'managemnet') and awkward word choices ('headed towards recycling centre' missing an article). The range of vocabulary is limited and repetitive, with reliance on simple words. It lacks the precision and flexibility expected at higher band levels, though the meaning is generally clear despite the lexical slips.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response features a mix of simple and moderately complex sentence structures, such as passive voice constructions ('are further collected', 'are then heated'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are noticeable errors in article usage ('headed towards recycling centre') and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not completely obscure the intended meaning, they occur frequently relative to the short length of the text, limiting the score to the band 5 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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