Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-02

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 7.0)

The diagram illustrates how the recycling of plastic bottles is processed.

Overall, the process consists of nine main stages, beginning with throwing used bottles into the recycling bin and culminating in useful bottles and clothes. Broadly speaking, bottles undergo a series of physical and mechanical processes before the recycled product is produced.

Initially, used bottles are tossed into the recycling bin. This is followed by pickup of trash via garbage truck. Once this stage has been completed, plastic bottles are then transported to the recycling centre where they are sorted. Subsequently, the compressing of bottles takes place to turn them into blocks.

In the next stage, these plastic blocks then go through the procedure of crushing and washing. Moreover, the resulting product is then transferred to a machine that converts them into plastic pellets. Furthermore, these pellets are then heated to make the raw material. Finally, the raw material is used to produce plastic products and clothes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the nine-stage plastic bottle recycling process. An overview is provided, giving a clear summary of the cyclical nature of the procedure from initial disposal to final products. However, some stages could be slightly more fully extended or detailed to reach the highest level; for instance, the mechanical specifics of crushing and washing are grouped quite compactly. Nonetheless, the key stages—such as sorting, compressing, pellet production, and manufacturing end products—are accurately reported and appropriately selected, demonstrating a sound understanding of the visual data.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The writing demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, an overview, and body paragraphs that follow the chronological sequence of the diagram. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the cycle, using expressions such as 'Initially', 'This is followed by', 'Subsequently', and 'Finally'. Paragraphing is well-managed, and referencing across sentences is clear, ensuring that the transitions between steps in the continuous loop are smooth and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic process description, successfully integrating less common lexical items such as 'culminating', 'subsequently', 'compressing', and 'pellets'. Word choices are generally clear and allow the message to be communicated effectively. While there are occasional minor inaccuracies in collocation or phrasing—such as 'how the recycling of plastic bottles is processed' rather than 'how plastic bottles are recycled'—these do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, the writer could employ more precise academic collocations and vary phrasing to avoid slight word repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating passive voice constructions which are appropriate for describing a scientific or industrial process (e.g., 'plastic bottles are then transported', 'these pellets are then heated'). There is good control over grammar and punctuation, with frequent error-free sentences. Minor slips occur, such as the awkward phrasing in the opening sentence ('how the recycling of plastic bottles is processed'), but overall grammar is handled securely and punctuation is accurate throughout the text, fully supporting the band level.

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