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 the cycle of recyclying plastic bottles.
Overall, the process constitutes of total nine steps, beginning with the empty plastic bottle sbeing thrown into the recycle bin and lastly producing end products from the recycled plastic.
Initially, the first step of this recycling process is responsible dispose of empty plastic bottles into recycling bins, followed by collection of these bottles from bins by a truck. Next these reach the recycling centre where these bottles have to undergo sorting process where few bottles are discarded while ones with better quality are send for the next step. Fourth step is compressing these bottles into blocks. These blocks are then crushed into fine shreds in a crusher and then washed properly to removw any impurities. Sixth step involves the production of plastic pellets folowed by heating and converting them into raw material.
Next, this raw materials is sent into factories for manufacturing a variety of recyclable products like tupperware, T-shirts, Pens and carry bags, marking the continuation of this cycle.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student successfully summarises the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process, covering the full cycle from disposal to the production of end products and back into the loop. An overview is provided in the second sentence, outlining the total number of stages and the overall progression. Key stages such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and manufacturing are mentioned. However, there are minor lexical inaccuracies in describing some actions, such as 'responsible dispose', but the core information is accurately reported and grounded in the visual data. The response meets the minimum word count requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response is arranged logically in a chronological sequence that mirrors the process diagram. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Next', 'Fourth step', and 'These blocks' are used to guide the reader through the stages. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction/overview from the main body steps, though the body of the process is condensed into a single longer paragraph. Paragraphing could be further improved by breaking the detailed steps down into logical sub-stages, but the overall progression remains clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a process description, employing terms such as 'recycling centre', 'sorting process', 'impurities', and 'plastic pellets'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'recyclying' (spelling), 'constitutes of' (incorrect preposition), 'responsible dispose' (wrong word form), and 'this raw materials' (singular/plural agreement). Despite these errors, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main steps clearly, placing the response solidly in the band 6 category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'beginning with the empty plastic bottles being thrown...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, including 'bottle sbeing' (spacing/typo), 'these reach' lacking punctuation or conjunction, and subject-verb agreement issues ('ones with better quality are send'). While these errors are noticeable and require the reader to occasionally adjust, they do not impede overall communication. A wider range of error-free complex structures would be needed for a higher band.
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.