Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-29

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 provided diagram depicts the reusage of plastic bottles.

Overall, the process beginning with the plastic waste and concluding with the new formed products. While, the whole process consists of men as well as machinery efforts.

To begin with, human beings throw waste and garbbage in waste boxs and subsequent, vehicles are used to carry waste from the waste sites to the recycling center. Furthermore, with the help of physical workers, the specific waste is sorted out for making blocks; likewise, these blocks must be compressed, due to the fact that the smaller pieces are required for crushing.

In addition, the half process is fruitfuly completed up to crushing. Apart from that, after washing step, the washed tiny pieces are used in machine which reshape these pieces into plastic pellets. Additionally, heating pellets are used to form raw material and later this material is transformed into sequence, consequently that it becomes able to design new clothes, pencils, plastic bottles and many more daily living products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student attempts to cover all stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, starting from throwing waste into bins and concluding with producing end products. However, the overview is grammatically incomplete ('beginning with the plastic waste and concluding with the new formed products'), and some stages are described rather vaguely or with inaccurate mechanics, such as misunderstanding how the blocks are compressed. While the main features are touched upon, the lack of a fully developed, grammatically complete overview and minor inaccuracies in reporting the visual details place this performance at Band 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is divided into four paragraphs, including a short introduction and overview, which provides a basic structural framework. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition' are employed to sequence the stages of the process, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or forced ('the half process is fruitfuly completed up to crushing'). Paragraphing is attempted, but the logical progression is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and sentence construction, resulting in a Band 6.0 performance for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range to describe a technical process, utilizing words such as 'recycling center', 'conveyor', 'compressed', 'pellets', and 'raw material'. However, there are notable lexical errors, word-choice inaccuracies, and spelling mistakes throughout the text (e.g., 'reusage' instead of 'recycling', 'garbbage', 'boxs', 'fruitfuly', 'new formed'). Less common vocabulary is attempted with mixed success, causing occasional strain for the reader. This corresponds to a Band 5.5 for Lexical Resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

A mix of simple and complex sentence structures is attempted, but control over grammar and syntax is inconsistent. There are several significant grammatical errors, such as sentence fragments in the overview ('Overall, the process beginning with...'), subject-verb agreement issues ('vehicles are used'), and awkward passive constructions ('these blocks must be compressed, due to the fact that the smaller pieces are required'). Punctuation and word forms also show frequent lapses. These errors occasionally impede communication, positioning this aspect firmly at Band 5.0.

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