Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-16
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 show the process of how recycling bottles end up and reusable end products.
The first and the most important step is the user throwing the empty bottle in an allocated recycle bin.
From that bin the recycling garbage truck will empty the recycled waste and transfer that to the recycling centre.
In the recycling centre they first sort out the correct garbage on the basis of what can be recycled and what can not be.
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 response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 150 words, stopping abruptly after only 77 words. Consequently, the description of the process is severely truncated and covers only the initial stages (discarding, collection, sorting) while completely omitting the subsequent mechanical and chemical stages of recycling. Because a large part of the process is missing, the response can only be awarded a Band 4.0 for Task Achievement due to this minimal and incomplete coverage.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The text attempts to present information in a logical chronological sequence, starting with the consumer and moving to collection and sorting ('The first and the most important step', 'From that bin', 'In the recycling centre'). However, the writing lacks adequate paragraphing and cohesive devices overall, and because the text breaks off prematurely after just a few sentences, it is difficult to evaluate full organizational capability. Progression is evident in the few lines provided, supporting a Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with phrases like 'empty the recycled waste', 'correct garbage', and 'allocated recycle bin'. There is an error in word form in the opening sentence ('recycling bottles' instead of 'recycled bottles'). While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to communicate the first few steps, the limited range and lack of less common lexical items prevent the score from rising above Band 5.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple sentence structures. There is a noticeable subject-verb agreement error in the opening sentence ('The diagram show' instead of 'shows'). The control of grammar is basic, with frequent reliance on simple structures. While meaning is generally clear in the sentences produced, the limited grammatical range and structural errors place this performance at a Band 5.0 level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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