Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-22

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 5.5)

The diagram below shows the proccess for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, several steps are included in this process. From throwing the plastic bottles in the recycling bin, to producing finished multipurpose products. It involves different kinds of intervention, from human intervention, to machinery and industrial processes.

First, plastic bottles are thrown in the trash bin by people. Then, A truck collects trash from these bins and delivers them to the recycling center. Next, bottles originating from trash are sorted before accumulating and then getting compressed into blocks. After that, These blocks are crushed by the grinding wheels then the particles are washed inside countainers. These washed particles are later used to produce plastic pellets by being fed into various industrial equipment. The pellets are later heated to create raw material. Finally this raw material can be used in various applications to produce plastic containers, pens, plastic recycling bags, and many other daily products people buy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all the main stages of the recycling process, from the initial collection of plastic bottles to the final production of end products. The overview provides a clear summary of the cyclical nature of the process and mentions the transition from manual actions to industrial machinery. However, the explanation is somewhat brief and relies heavily on direct translation of the diagram's labels rather than fully extending the descriptions. While all key steps—sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and heating—are identified, some minor details could be further elaborated to demonstrate a higher level of task completion. Nevertheless, the main features are accurately reported and compared where relevant, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized logically into an introduction, an overview, and a body paragraph that follows the chronological sequence of the diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Then', 'Next', 'After that', and 'Finally' are used to guide the reader through the stages of the process. Paragraphing is used, although the body paragraph is quite dense and could benefit from being split into two distinct steps to improve readability. Referencing is generally clear, though minor punctuation and capitalization issues (e.g., 'Then, A truck') slightly disrupt the flow. Overall, the logical progression is maintained throughout, fitting the Band 6.0 descriptors well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully employing process-related terms such as 'recycling center', 'compressed', 'crushed', 'particles', and 'industrial equipment'. There are some attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally imprecise, such as 'trash bin' instead of 'recycling bin' and 'countainers' which contains a spelling error. Word choice is generally appropriate, though slightly repetitive in places (e.g., repeating 'plastic bottles', 'raw material', and 'pellets'). While communication is never impeded, the lexical control restricts the score to a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as passive voice constructions ('plastic bottles are thrown', 'are sorted', 'are crushed') which are appropriate for a process description. There are some grammatical errors and punctuation slips, including lowercase letters after periods ('Finally this raw material'), a missing comma, and an unnecessary capital letter ('Then, A truck'). Furthermore, the opening sentence contains a typo ('proccess'). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout, and the grammatical control is sufficient for a Band 6.0.

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