Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram below explains the overall process for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, the procedure completes in 9 different steps. The process initiates by the disposal of bottles and ends with the production of different essentials.

Initially, the plastic bottles are disposed in a specific container which is later collected by recycling vehicle. After successfully transporting the wastes to the reccycling centre, the specific materials are sorted in order. This is followed by the compression of plastic containers into blocks with the help of compressing machinery equipments. The blocks are then crushed into thin pieces as they transport between the grinders which is later washed throughly.

The washed pieces are then produced into plastic pellets which is later for the formation of raw materials. Following this, the raw materialas are later used for the production of numerous numbers of essential mateirlas through recycling such as water bottles, plastic bags, lunch boxes and many more.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from the initial disposal of bottles by consumers to the final production of end products, forming a complete cycle. The overview paragraph clearly identifies the total number of steps and the overall nature of the procedure. Key features such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and reforming are reported accurately and logically. The information is fully grounded in the visual data without any major omissions or misinterpretations. Therefore, the response demonstrates a clear understanding of the task requirements and earns a solid band score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The report exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is appropriately paragraphed, beginning with an introduction and overview, followed by the initial stages of the process, and concluding with the final manufacturing steps. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'After successfully transporting', and 'Following this' are used to guide the reader through the sequence of events. However, there are minor issues with referencing and mechanical transitions in places, such as 'which is later for the formation', which slightly disrupts the natural flow. Overall, the structural progression is easy to follow, justifying a band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process description, employing terms such as 'disposal', 'compressing machinery', 'grinders', and 'plastic pellets'. There are, however, some noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'reccycling' (recycling), 'throughly' (thoroughly), 'materialas' (materials), and awkward collocations like 'produced into plastic pellets' and 'numerous numbers'. These lexical inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching higher bands. Nonetheless, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the process clearly without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, utilising relative clauses and passive voice constructions appropriately for a process description, such as 'the plastic bottles are disposed in a specific container which is later collected'. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the procedure completes', 'the raw materialas are later used') and prepositional errors ('disposed in' instead of 'disposed of'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, they occur with enough frequency to restrict the score to a band 6.0.

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