Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-13

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)

The given diagram demonstrates the recycling process of plastic made bottles.

Overall, it is a cyclic process. It consists of nine stages, while it starts from collecting bottles from the waste and ends over producing useful products.

Firstly, the bottles are collected from the garbage into the garbadge container. That container transport the materail to the recycling centre. In the center, the plastic made bottles are sorted according to the given criteris

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The student attempts to summarize the plastic bottle recycling process, identifying its cyclic nature and initial steps such as collection and sorting. However, the response is severely underdeveloped and abruptly cut off mid-sentence after only 72 words, falling well short of the 150-word minimum requirement. Furthermore, it only touches upon the very beginning of the nine-stage process (collecting and sorting) while completely omitting the subsequent stages like crushing, washing, melting, and pelletizing. Because the response is significantly under-length and fails to present a complete overview of the main features shown in the diagram, it receives a band score of 4.0 under the task achievement descriptor guidelines for minimal task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text demonstrates a basic attempt at organization with an introductory sentence and some sequencing devices like 'Firstly'. However, due to the extreme brevity of the text, cohesive progression is severely limited. Paragraphing is disjointed, and the text ends abruptly with an incomplete sentence ('according to the given criteris'). While the writer makes a clear attempt to structure the opening overview, the lack of a fully developed body and conclusion prevents any sustained logical flow. Consequently, the organization appears disconnected, leading to a band score of 4.0 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, featuring phrases like 'plastic made bottles', 'garbadge container', and 'useful products'. There are notable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'garbadge' instead of 'garbage', 'materail' instead of 'material', and 'criteris' instead of 'criteria'. Although the vocabulary is adequate for conveying very simple meanings, the limited range and frequent mechanical errors restrict the lexical score. This performance closely aligns with the Band 5 descriptor, where the lexical resource is limited and noticeable errors occur.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and basic complex sentences, such as 'It consists of nine stages, while it starts from collecting...'. However, grammatical control is weak. There are awkward phrasings ('plastic made bottles', 'ends over producing'), incorrect preposition usage ('transport the materail to'), and an unfinished sentence at the end. While simple structures are occasionally correct, the frequency of errors and the incomplete nature of the response mean the grammar cannot support a higher band. This corresponds to a band score of 5.0 due to frequent errors and limited structural control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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