Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-28
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 5.0)
The diagram illustrates the process of plastic bottle recycling from waste bottles.
Overall, the process consists of eight stages, beginning with the collecting of empty plastic bottles and ending with production of products.
first, bottols are collected from waste material.and bottles are transported to a recycling centre there are sorting of bottles and some glass bottles and plastic bottles were sorted. The next step is bottles compressing into blocks that is fixed properly which is first step of process. Next, it is crusing through the crushing machine cut into small pieces of waste bottles plastic.furthermore, it is washed by water and transport into machine machine have a types of filters so it seperate palltes and suspension.after that collecting only plastic pallets. pallets are heated with fire and make a raw material this raw material used for further process. finally, raw material kept into machine and and make expected types of water bottle or several types of things which used by daily household.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The student attempts to describe the main features of the plastic bottle recycling diagram, identifying the start and end points as well as several intermediate stages. However, the explanation of the process contains significant inaccuracies and omissions, misreading several technical steps shown in the visual data. For instance, the transition from washing to producing plastic pellets and heating them is muddled and overly simplistic ('transport into machine machine have a types of filters so it seperate palltes'). Furthermore, the overview is slightly inaccurate, stating there are eight stages when the diagram clearly depicts nine. While the general subject is covered, the task is only partially addressed due to underdeveloped and unclear descriptions of the core mechanisms. This aligns with Band 5.0 descriptors.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response demonstrates some logical organisation by following the chronological sequence of the process from collection to end products. However, paragraphing is extremely poor, with the main body squeezed into a single, massive run-on paragraph that lacks clear division. Cohesive devices are repetitive and basic (e.g., 'first', 'Next', 'furthermore', 'after that'), and referencing is occasionally faulty, making it hard to follow the exact progression of steps. While there is an overall sequence, the lack of paragraphing and mechanical cohesion restrict the score to Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with several noticeable spelling errors such as 'bottols', 'crusing', 'seperate', and 'palltes'. The range of vocabulary is limited to simple terms like 'waste bottles', 'water', and 'machine'. While some task-specific terms are attempted ('recycling centre', 'plastic pallets', 'raw material'), the frequent spelling and word-choice errors cause some difficulty for the reader and impede fluent communication. These characteristics place the response firmly in the Band 5.0 category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.0
The text displays a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and faultily linked clauses run together with commas or missing punctuation ('...waste material.and bottles are transported...'). There are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles, incorrect verb forms ('bottles compressing into blocks', 'crused through'), and run-on sentences. Complex structures are attempted but are generally faulty. The frequency of these errors causes noticeable strain and difficulty for the reader, matching the Band 4.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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