Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles and transforming it into everyday essentials.
Overall, the recycling process mainly consists of 9 distinct phases, beginning with throwing plastic bottles into trash and concluding with producing several kinds of useful products.
The recycling process starts when someone throws plastic bottles in the trash, this waste is transferred to recycling centre with the help of dedicated vehicle. The main process kicks off in the recycling center where staff separate only plastic bottles for further procedure.
The next process involves compressing huge number of plastic bottles into manageable blocks. Furthermore, big blocks are sent into a heavy crushing machine which is responsible for producing plastic pellets, before further procedure these pellets washed with a liquid.
After washing, with the help of a dryer the pellets are dried out. Plastic pellets are exposed to heat in order to melt all the pellets to produce a raw material. This raw material is now being used for producing essential items such as t-shirts, lunch boxes, pencils and shopping bags.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student successfully identifies the main features of the diagram, outlining the overall process of recycling plastic bottles in nine distinct phases. An appropriate overview is provided in the second paragraph, capturing both the beginning and the end of the circular process. Key stages such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pelletising, and melting into raw materials are reported in a logical sequence. However, there are minor inaccuracies in reporting the visual details; for instance, the text mentions 'throwing plastic bottles in the trash' rather than a recycling bin, and the description of the crushing and washing sequence slightly conflates the order shown in the diagram. Overall, the task is adequately addressed with relevant information, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response is coherent overall with a clear logical arrangement that follows the chronological steps of the process diagram. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader through the stages, using transitions such as 'Overall', 'The recycling process starts', 'The next process involves', and 'After washing'. However, cohesion is occasionally faulty or mechanical due to run-on sentences and comma splices, such as 'The recycling process starts when someone throws plastic bottles in the trash, this waste is transferred...' Referencing and progression are generally clear, but the mechanical nature of some links places this firmly in the Band 6 category.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'recycling centre', 'plastic pellets', 'raw material', and 'end products'. There are also attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'transforming it into everyday essentials' and 'manageable blocks'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'transforming it' (referring to plural 'bottles'), 'further procedure' (instead of 'process'), and minor spelling or phrasing slips. Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, and the lexical range is sufficient for an adequate score at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'beginning with throwing plastic bottles', 'which is responsible for producing'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation issues, including comma splices ('...throws plastic bottles in the trash, this waste is transferred...') and prepositional inaccuracies ('washed with a liquid', 'dried out' awkwardness). Subject-verb agreement and pronoun reference also slip occasionally ('transforming it' for bottles). While these errors do not impede overall comprehension, they prevent the text from achieving a higher band, making Band 6.0 an accurate reflection of the student's grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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