Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-21

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 7.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles. Overall, the process involves nine stages, starting with the collection of used bottles and ending with the production of new items made from recycled plastic.

First, people place empty plastic bottles into special recycling bins. The bottles are then collected by trucks and transported to a recycling centre. At the recycling facility, workers sort the bottles and separate recyclable plastic from unsuitable materials. After sorting, the selected bottles are compressed into large blocks.

In the following stages, the compressed plastic is crushed into small pieces and washed thoroughly to remove impurities. The clean plastic pieces are then processed into small pellets. These pellets are heated to create raw plastic material.

Finally, the raw material is used to manufacture a variety of products, including plastic bottles, containers, T-shirts, shopping bags and pencils. Thus, the recycling process transforms waste plastic into useful everyday products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully covers all nine stages of the plastic bottle recycling process depicted in the diagram, ranging from initial collection to the final manufacture of end products. The overview statement effectively captures the cyclical nature of the process and outlines the main steps. Key features such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and heating are accurately reported in a logical sequence. There is no irrelevant data or significant omission, and the information is entirely grounded in the visual source. The response satisfies the requirements of Task Achievement well, demonstrating a clear understanding of the input data and presenting a concise, well-structured summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The text displays a clear logical progression from the beginning of the recycling cycle to its conclusion. Information is well-organized into logical paragraphs, with the second and third paragraphs grouping the mechanical and chemical processing stages effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'In the following stages', and 'Finally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the sequence of events without being overly mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the introduction, the initial collection/sorting, the processing steps, and the final conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for this task, successfully employing topic-specific terminology such as 'recycling centre', 'compressing', 'impurities', 'pellets', and 'raw material'. Word choices are generally accurate and natural, as seen in phrases like 'separate recyclable plastic from unsuitable materials' and 'manufacture a variety of products'. While there is limited deployment of extremely sophisticated or uncommon lexical items, the vocabulary used is precise, natural, and entirely adequate to convey the meaning clearly and fluently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, showing control over passive voice constructions which are appropriate for process descriptions, such as 'The bottles are then collected' and 'the compressed plastic is crushed'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. Complex structures are integrated smoothly, such as the participial phrase 'starting with the collection of used bottles and ending with the production'. Grammatical control is strong, with only minor limitations in structural variety preventing a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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