Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-24

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 illustrates how plastic bottles are recycled and products such as bags, shirts, pencils and new bottles are formed.

Overall, it is evident that the process consists of nine stages, beginning with throwing the waste materials in the dustbin and culminating in producing final products from the raw materials.

Initially, the used bottles and waste are thrown in the dustbin and are collected using a vehicle. The collected waste are taken to the recycling center where the sorting process begins. Next, the selected products undergo compression where they are converted into blocks. Then, they are crushed using a special tool. Afterwards, the pieces are washed properly in water.

Following this, the pieces are placed in a machine which produces plastic pellets. The pellets are heated to form raw materials before converting it into the finished goods. Finally, the heated pellets are turned into raw materials and are converted into finished goods, such as shirts, pencils, bottles and boxes, which will be thrown in the dustbin after being used.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, identifying that the cycle consists of nine stages, from waste disposal to the creation of end products. Key stages such as collection, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating, and manufacturing are all reported accurately based on the visual data. The response meets the 150-word requirement and remains focused and factual throughout, earning a solid Band 7.0 for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is logically organized with a clear overall progression from the beginning to the end of the recycling cycle. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the sequence of steps, using linking words such as 'Initially', 'Next', 'Then', 'Afterwards', 'Following this', and 'Finally'. While referencing is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, placing this response comfortably at Band 7.0 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process diagram, using terms such as 'recycling centre', 'sorting process', 'compression', 'plastic pellets', and 'raw materials'. However, there are minor lexical and grammatical agreement slips, such as 'The collected waste are taken' (should be 'is taken') and 'converting it' (should be 'converting them'). Less common vocabulary is attempted with some success, but precision is occasionally lacking, aligning the vocabulary profile with Band 6.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as passive voice constructions ('are thrown', 'are collected', 'are taken') which are appropriate for describing a manufacturing or recycling process. There are some minor grammatical errors, notably subject-verb agreement issues like 'The collected waste are'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and punctuation is generally sound. The grammatical control reflects a standard Band 6.5 performance.

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