Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
The diagram illustrates how plastic bottles are recycled which are in total 9 stages.
In the first stage, as we can see bottles are collected by factory man from trash bins. Once they have been collected, they are gathered into a truck and transport to reycling centre . In the third stage, these bottles are soarted into a recycling centre and saperated usable bottles and unusable into each box. In the next stage, all favourable bottles are compressed together into blocks. After that, these compressed blocks are curshed from a large cutter.
After being crushed into a machine, these blocks are converted into a little pieces and gathered in a seperate section for washing. After crushing and washing stage, those little pieces are dropped into another machine for producing plastic pellets. Then machine produced heated pellets which are used to form raw material. In the next stage, Heated pellets are converted into Raw material form. Finally, tshirts, plastic bags and boxes, pencils and bottles are manufacuted by using raw material and this process continued over and over again.
To sum up, it would be quite interesting to note that process for recycling plastic bottles has total 9 stages from collection waste bottles from trash bins to produced end products.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully identifies the main features of the recycling process and outlines all nine stages in a logical sequence, from the initial collection of plastic bottles to the production of end products. Key components such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and pellet production are mentioned. However, there are some minor descriptive inaccuracies and unnecessary repetition, particularly in the conclusion, which restates the process details rather than synthesising the overarching trends. Overall, the response covers all parts of the visual diagram adequately, fitting the criteria for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The response is arranged in four paragraphs, providing a logical overall progression from the beginning to the end of the recycling cycle. Cohesive devices are used to signal sequence, such as 'In the first stage', 'Once they have been collected', and 'Finally'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in repetitive sentence openings and awkward transitions between sentences. Paragraphing is used, but the overall structure could be more tightly organised to improve the flow of information.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items related to recycling, such as 'compressed', 'crushed', 'pellets', and 'manufacuted'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('reycling', 'soarted', 'saperated', 'curshed', 'seperate', 'manufacuted') and occasional word choice/collocation issues. Despite these errors, meaning is generally clear, placing the response in Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as passive constructions ('are collected', 'are compressed together'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('transport to reycling centre') and missing articles or prepositions. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they persist across multiple sentences, limiting the grammatical score to a Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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