Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

The diagram depicts the steps involved in the recycling the goods such as household things such as plastic bottles.

As can be seen that , the process of recycling starts from the trash bag then throw in the dustbin then the trash car was in routine took the garbage from the bins after that the trash are going to the recycling center then the raw material was sorted those who are able to recycle . After this process completion the materials are compressed into the blocks the fifth step is that crushing the block are going to crushed then washed it . The further step is the material is took and throw into the machine then the plastic pellets are being to produced step forward the heating the pellets to form raw material after this the material is used for the making the products like pencils,papers,clothes,groceries etc . The whole process is going into the loop again and again thats the way how recycling method is works .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to cover the main steps in the plastic bottle recycling process, starting from disposal and collection through sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and pellet production, up to the creation of end products. However, the explanation is frequently hindered by clumsy phrasing, such as 'recycling the goods such as household things such as plastic bottles'. Furthermore, the response lacks a clear overview and contains inaccurate descriptions of certain stages, such as 'the trash car was in routine took the garbage'. While the overall sequential flow of the 9-stage loop is generally captured, the under-development of ideas and lack of clear comparative reporting place this response firmly in Band 5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text suffers from severe structural and cohesive deficiencies. The response is presented almost entirely as a single, massive run-on paragraph, which completely violates standard paragraphing conventions. While some basic cohesive markers are used (e.g., 'As can be seen', 'After this process completion', 'The further step'), they are often applied incorrectly or mechanically, resulting in a disjointed and confusing reading experience. Referencing is frequently unclear, as seen in phrases like 'the block are going to crushed then washed it'. There is no clear overall progression or logical grouping of the process stages, leading to a breakdown in cohesion and an overall score of 4.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The lexical range is extremely limited and repetitive, relying on basic vocabulary such as 'things', 'trash', 'car', 'process', and 'material'. There are numerous word choice and collocation errors throughout the text, including phrases like 'recycling the goods', 'trash car', and 'the materials are compressed into the blocks'. Inappropriate terminology and unnatural phrasing frequently obscure meaning, such as 'pencils,papers,clothes,groceries'. While the writer manages to use some task-related terms like 'recycling center', 'plastic pellets', and 'raw material', the frequency of lexical errors and lack of flexibility prevent the response from achieving a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

Grammatically, the response demonstrates very poor control over sentence structures. There is an almost complete absence of correct complex sentences, and even simple sentences are frequently marred by severe errors, such as missing subjects, incorrect verb tenses, and faulty passive constructions (e.g., 'the trash are going to the recycling center', 'the plastic pellets are being to produced step forward the heating'). Punctuation is largely neglected, featuring stray commas and run-on clauses linked improperly with coordinating conjunctions or just spaces (e.g., 'As can be seen that , the process...'). The sheer frequency of basic grammatical errors impedes comprehension throughout.

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