Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram illustrates the procedures of making a new plastic can from the old one.

Overall, there are 9 major proceses of recycling plastic bottles. Although it dose not have a begining and ending.

To reprocessing plastic cans starting from transporting the old bottles to the recycling center for sorting which is selecting the ones that will be used and afterwords, it is then moved into a compresor and it will be compresed in a block forms. Furthermore, the plastics will be placed in machin where it will be cruched and washed and then take it to where the plastic pallets will be produced and the pallet will be heated to various useful form of raw materials.

The raw materials will be trasported to where it will be sold or used and. finally, after using it, it will be ready for another recycling

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the recycling process, moving from consumer disposal through sorting, crushing, washing, pelletising, and the creation of new products. However, there are significant issues that prevent a higher score. First, the response is under-length, containing only 143 words against the required 150-word minimum, which incurs a penalty. Furthermore, the description contains inaccuracies and over-generalisations, such as referring to plastic bottles as 'plastic cans', and the overview is grammatically fragmented ('Although it dose not have a begining and ending'). While the cyclical nature and key steps are mentioned, the lack of complete task fulfillment and brevity limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The overall organisation attempts to follow a sequential path through the diagram, and the writer uses some basic cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'and finally'. However, the paragraphing is poor, with the second body paragraph running on into a fragmented run-on sentence structure. Cohesive devices are sometimes used inaccurately or mechanically, and referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'it is then moved'). While an overall progression is discernible, the faulty sentence boundaries and lack of sophisticated cohesion place this text firmly in the band 5 range.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive, with notable inaccuracies in word choice. For instance, the student repeatedly refers to 'plastic cans' instead of bottles. Other lexical errors include misspellings ('proceses', 'dose', 'begining', 'compresor', 'compresed', 'machin', 'cruched', 'trasported') and awkward word forms ('block forms', 'various useful form'). While the writer attempts less common vocabulary such as 'reprocessing', 'compressor', and 'raw materials', the high frequency of spelling and word-choice errors restricts the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The grammatical range is limited, consisting largely of over-long, run-on simple and attempted complex sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions like 'and'. There are frequent errors in punctuation, sentence structure, and verb agreement (e.g., 'it dose not have', 'To reprocessing plastic cans starting from...'). Many sentences lack main verbs or proper punctuation boundaries, resulting in fragments. While simple structures are occasionally correct, the high density of grammatical errors causes noticeable strain for the reader.

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