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, plastic bottles pass through a number of stages, beginning with their disposal in recycling bins and ending with the manufacture of various new products made from recycled plastic.

Initially, used plastic bottles are placed in special recycling bins. They are then collected by a recycling truck and transported to a recycling centre. At the facility, the bottles are sorted, and only suitable ones are selected for recycling. The selected bottles are compressed into large blocks before being crushed into small pieces, which are subsequently washed.

In the following stages, the clean plastic pieces are processed into small plastic pellets. These pellets are heated to produce raw material that can be used in manufacturing. In the final stage, this material is transformed into a variety of new products, including plastic bottles, T-shirts, shopping bags, pencils, and food containers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student successfully covers all the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from the initial disposal in a recycling bin to the manufacture of end products. The overview effectively captures the cyclical and multi-stage nature of the diagram. All key features, such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and heating, are accurately reported without introducing any extraneous data or misinterpretations. However, a minor penalty must be applied because the response contains 147 words, narrowly missing the mandatory 150-word minimum threshold. Despite this slight length deficit, the content fully satisfies the requirements of Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a clear and logical progression throughout. Information is organised chronologically, mirroring the clockwise flow of the diagram. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the steps, as seen in transition markers such as 'Initially', 'They are then', 'At the facility', and 'In the following stages'. Paragraphing is handled well, with a clear separation between the introduction, overview, and the specific stages of the process. Reference pronouns like 'They' and 'this material' are used accurately to maintain cohesion across sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary used throughout the essay is appropriate and natural for a process diagram task. The student employs a sufficient range of topic-specific vocabulary, including accurate terms such as 'disposal', 'compressed', 'crushed', 'pellets', and 'raw material'. There are also successful attempts at less common phrasing, such as 'manufacture of various new products' and 'transformed into a variety of new products'. Word choice and collocations are generally precise, and there are no spelling or word-formation errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating relative clauses ('raw material that can be used in manufacturing') and participial phrases ('beginning with their disposal'). Grammatical control is strong, with the majority of sentences being error-free. The passive voice is handled correctly and appropriately for a description of a manufacturing process, as demonstrated in 'are placed', 'are collected', and 'are sorted'. Punctuation is accurate, and there are no grammatical errors that cause difficulty for the reader.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.