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 process diagram illustrates the stages involved in the recycling of plastic bottles.

Overall, it is a nine stage process. The cycle commences with the collection of bottles from waste and concludes with the production of end products like garments, stationary and shopping bags.

Initially, people through all the garbage into waste boxes which is then collected by garbage trucks. After that, this waste comes into recycling centre where this is sorted into specific categories and then compressed as a whole in a form of rectangle blocks. At this point, these blocks are crushed into tiny particles and completely washed. This is then followed by the production of plastic pellet by a mechanical process.

Subsequently, these tiny pellets are heated to convert them into raw materials. Ultimately, these raw materials are used for the production of clothes, platic materials like bottles and bags

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from the initial collection and sorting to the final production of end items. An overview is successfully provided, noting that it is a nine-stage cyclical process. Key features such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and pellet production are reported accurately in a logical sequence. However, please note that the response contains 143 words, which falls short of the mandatory 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length issue prevents the award of a higher band score, as the task has not been fully completed in terms of word count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The text is arranged logically in a clear chronological progression, following the circular flow of the diagram from the initial disposal of bottles to the final manufacturing stage. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, overview, and body details. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'After that', 'At this point', and 'Subsequently' help guide the reader through the various steps. However, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and the overall cohesive flow feels slightly mechanical in places, placing the response comfortably within the Band 6 descriptor range.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for describing a technical process, including terms such as 'commences', 'recycling centre', 'compressed', 'crushed', and 'raw materials'. However, there are noticeable lexical and spelling errors that affect accuracy, most notably 'through' instead of 'throw', 'stationary' instead of 'stationery', and 'platic' instead of 'plastic'. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a Band 6 due to frequent slips in word choice and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The cycle commences with the collection of... and concludes with...' and 'After that, this waste comes into recycling centre where this is sorted...'. There are some grammatical errors and missing articles, such as 'comes into recycling centre' (missing an article before recycling centre) and 'compresssed as a whole in a form of rectangle blocks' (awkward phrasing and grammatical inaccuracy). Despite these errors, the structures are generally understandable, supporting a Band 6 score.

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

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