Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-18
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 5.5)
The diagram illustrates the recycling process of plastic bottles. Looking from an overall perspectives it is apparent that 9 steps are involved in this process which is started with the collection of bottles and ended up making new products.
Firstly, as the bottles were thrown by the consumer into recycle bin after using them and then garbage truck was collected bottles. As the truck collected bottles then it send to the recycling centre where separating them from other garbage carefully. After that bottles were compressed into blocks form with help of compressing machine. Furthermore, the blocks were placed into crushing machine where it converted into smaller pieces where it was washed at the same time.
After washing them the crushed plastic were placed into pellet machine where it was coverted into pellet form. Moreover, pellets were heated to convert into raw material. Furthermore, the raw material was processed to convert into different products such as, tiffin, bottles , shirts, recycling bag and pencils.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process. An overview is provided in the introduction, noting the total number of steps from collection to the creation of new products. The body paragraphs correctly trace the sequence of stages, from throwing bottles into the recycling bin, collection by truck, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, heating, to the final production of various end products. Key stages are reported accurately with no major omissions, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0. However, the development remains somewhat descriptive and could benefit from slightly more synthesis of how the stages interlock in a continuous loop.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall arrangement and follows the chronological order of the process diagram. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the steps, such as 'Firstly', 'After that', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover'. However, paragraphing is underdeveloped, as the entire body of the process is squashed into a single block of text rather than being broken down into logical phases (e.g. collection and sorting versus processing and manufacturing). Referencing is generally clear, though occasional mechanical transitions detract from a smoother flow, placing this performance firmly in the Band 6.0 range.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a mechanical process, employing terms such as 'recycling centre', 'compressing machine', 'crushing machine', 'pellet machine', and 'raw material'. There are, however, noticeable word-choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'ended up making new products' (rather than 'culminating in the creation of new products'), 'garbage truck was collected bottles' (passive/active confusion), and 'tiffin' (which is overly specific or culturally biased compared to food containers). Spelling and word forms are mostly comprehensible, supporting a solid Band 6.0 score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical control is inconsistent. There are frequent tense shifts and passive voice errors, for example: 'as the bottles were thrown... and then garbage truck was collected bottles' and 'where it converted into smaller pieces where it was washed'. Sentences like 'Looking from an overall perspectives it is apparent' contain minor pre-existing slip-ups in phrasing and plurals ('perspectives'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a Band 6.5, making Band 6.0 the most appropriate descriptor.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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