Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-17

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 6.5)

The diagram illustrates the nine stages involved in the recycling of plastic bottles.

Overall, it is a cyclical process that starts with collecting used bottles and ends with producing new products. It includes both manual and mechanical stages.

Initially, plastic bottles are thrown into a recycling bin by consumers. Secondly, a truck collects the bins and transports the bottles to a recycling centre. At the recycling centre, in stage three, workers sort the plastic bottles by hand, checking which bottles are suitable for recycling.

Next, in stage four, the sorted bottles are compressed into large blocks. In stage five, these blocks are crushed into small pieces by a crushing machine. After that, in stage six, the crushed pieces are washed in a large water tank .In stage seven, the washed pieces are put into a machine to produce plastic pellets.

In stage eight, these pellets are heated to form raw material, which is placed on pallets. Finally, in stage nine, this raw material is used to produce new end products such as bottles, t-shirts, bags and pens, which can then be used again and recycled.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the nine stages of the plastic bottle recycling process. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing the cyclical nature and the combination of manual and mechanical operations. Key features are accurately reported, following the sequence from consumer disposal through sorting, crushing, washing, pelletising, and finally remanufacturing into new end products. The data is fully grounded in the visual diagram without any major omissions or invented facts. The response meets all requirements for Task Achievement at a Band 7.0 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear progression from the beginning to the end of the cyclical process. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction and overview from the detailed body steps. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Secondly', 'Next', 'After that', and 'Finally' are employed to guide the reader smoothly through the sequence, though transitions like 'Secondly' are slightly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear, and the overall arrangement maintains coherence from start to finish, earning a solid Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully utilizing process-related terms such as 'cyclical process', 'recycling centre', 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'plastic pellets'. While there are a few minor lexical choices or slight awkwardness, communication is never impeded. The vocabulary is sufficient to allow precision in describing technical stages, though it lacks the more sophisticated, less common lexical items characteristic of a higher band. This corresponds comfortably to a Band 6.5 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating passive voice where appropriate for a process description (e.g., 'plastic bottles are thrown', 'are compressed into large blocks', 'are washed'). Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, with frequent error-free sentences. Minor mechanical slips occur, such as spacing before punctuation marks (e.g., 'tank .In stage seven'), but these do not impede communication. The grammatical range and accuracy displayed align well with a Band 7.0 score.

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