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 picture presents the process of recycling the plastic bottles.
Overall, the process of recycling is consisted of 9 stages. Diagram shows that this process starts with the human throwing garbage into a dustbin. It can also be seen that first three stages are related with humans but the later process is automated.
In general, the process starts with the throwing and collection of garbage. Followed by the proper sorting and identification of useful materials from the garbage. In the fourth part, the sorted litter is then compressed into the square blocks. These blocks are then crushed into pieces and later washed in water.
Moreover, In the seventh stage the cleaned pieces are headed into machine which converts them into plastic pelletes. These pellets then turned into form raw material with the help of heating. After that, form is processed into raw material and with the help of it end products are manufactured in the last stage
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers all the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from the initial throwing away of garbage to the final production of end products, thus meeting the requirements of Task 1. The writer successfully provides an overview noting that the process consists of nine stages and transitions from manual to automated steps ('first three stages are related with humans but the later process is automated'). However, the description lacks some detail in certain parts of the cycle, and there are slight inaccuracies in the tracing of the exact sequence toward the end of the text. Overall, it satisfies the basic criteria for Task Achievement, earning a band score of 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The text exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a logical sequence following the stages of the diagram. The writer uses basic paragraphing to separate the introduction from the body of the process. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the steps, such as 'Overall', 'In general', 'Followed by', 'In the fourth part', and 'Moreover'. However, some referencing is slightly awkward or repetitive ('the process of recycling is consisted of', 'these blocks', 'these pellets'), and punctuation issues affect the flow. Progression is visible, but the cohesion can occasionally feel mechanical, leading to a band score of 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting process-specific terms such as 'compressed', 'crushed', 'washed', and 'plastic pellets'. However, there are notable lexical errors and unnatural word choices, such as 'is consisted of' (should be 'consists of'), 'human throwing' (should be 'humans throwing'), and 'pelletes' (spelling error). Furthermore, terms like 'form raw material' are confused and imprecise. While the writer attempts less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in word choice and spelling limit the lexical score to a 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Diagram shows that this process starts with...' and 'It can also be seen that first three stages...'. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are passive voice errors ('is consisted of'), missing articles ('with the human throwing', 'to form raw material'), and awkward phrasing ('headed into machine'). Punctuation and capitalization errors also appear, such as starting a sentence with 'Moreover, In the seventh stage...'. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader, fitting the Band 5.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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