Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-27

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.

Overall, the process consist of 9 statges, starting with the collection of used plastic bottles from the recycling bin and ending with the production of various new items, such as new bottles, T-shirts, storage boxs and recycle cans. It is man-made cyclical process.

To begin with, used plastic bottles are thrown into a recycling bin. Next, they are collected by the recyling truck and transpored to a recycling center. There the bottles are sorted into reusable and non-reusable bottles. Subsequently, the reusable bottles are compressed into largr blocks.

After that, blocks are crushed in a machine and the crused plastic is washed. Then, the washed plastic is fed into machine to produce plastic pellets. Fowlling this, the pellets are heated to from raw material, which is placed into pallet. Finally, this raw material is used to produce varioua items like T-shirt, bottles, penciles, stora

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The student successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by summarising the main features of the plastic bottle recycling process and noting that it forms a closed loop. The overview correctly captures the nine stages and the cyclical nature of the diagram. Key steps, from initial collection and sorting to crushing, washing, pelletising, and producing end products, are reported accurately. However, the response trails off abruptly at the end with an incomplete sentence ('stora'), which slightly detracts from full development of the final stage. Nevertheless, the core information is well-covered, aligning with Band 6.5 to 7.0 criteria.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text demonstrates a clear logical progression overall, moving sequentially through the numbered stages of the diagram. The writer uses an introduction with an overview, followed by body sentences that sequence the steps chronologically using transitional phrases such as 'To begin with', 'Next', 'Subsequently', 'After that', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is attempted, though the division is somewhat brief and the text runs together. Cohesive devices are generally used appropriately, but some mechanical transitions and the incomplete ending affect overall cohesion, placing this response at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a process, including terms like 'collection', 'transported', 'sorted', 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'pellets'. However, there are several spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, such as 'consist' instead of 'consists', 'statges' instead of 'stages', 'boxs' instead of 'boxes', 'recyling', 'transpored', 'largr', 'crused', 'Fowlling', 'from' instead of 'form', 'pallet', and 'penciles'. These errors show limited control over spelling and word forms, though communication is generally maintained, supporting a Band 6.0 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as passive voice constructions ('are collected', 'are sorted', 'are compressed'). While there are accurate structures present, there are also noticeable grammatical and punctuation errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('the process consist of'), incorrect prepositions ('placed into pallet'), and spelling-related word errors. Furthermore, the abrupt cutoff at the end leaves a sentence unfinished. Control of grammar is sufficient to convey the general message, but errors prevent a higher band, resulting in a score of 6.0.

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

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