Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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 response fully satisfies the requirements of Academic Task 1 by accurately summarizing the nine-stage process of recycling plastic bottles. The student successfully identifies all the major steps depicted in the diagram, beginning with disposal and collection, moving through sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletizing, and heating, and concluding with the manufacture of end products. An appropriate overview is provided in the second sentence of the introduction, capturing the closed-loop nature and the overall transformation from waste to new items. No data or steps were misread or invented, and the description follows the logical sequence of the diagram accurately. The task is therefore addressed comprehensively and effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The text demonstrates clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information is grouped into sensible paragraphs corresponding to different phases of the recycling process: an introduction, collection and sorting, mechanical and chemical processing, and final manufacturing. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'In the following stages', and 'Finally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the sequence of steps. Referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is well-managed and entirely appropriate for a process diagram of this length. Cohesion is smooth without appearing overly mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student employs a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a manufacturing or recycling process. Terms such as 'compressed into large blocks', 'impurities', 'plastic pellets', and 'raw plastic material' demonstrate good control of topic-specific language. Word choice and collocations are generally accurate, allowing the process to be described with precision. While there is limited use of highly sophisticated or rare lexical items, the vocabulary used is precise, natural, and fully adequate for the task, meeting the criteria for a solid Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing passive structures effectively to describe a process (e.g., 'The bottles are then collected', 'the compressed plastic is crushed', 'These pellets are heated'). Grammatical control is strong, with the vast majority of sentences being completely error-free. Punctuation is accurate, and subject-verb agreement is maintained throughout. The variety of structures and reliable accuracy demonstrate solid intermediate-to-advanced command of English grammar.

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