Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

first of all . in this paragraph we discuss about therefore ,how to recycle plastic bottles in this process first of all a group of people come from company with loading car for collecting blastic bottles and company labour pik that bottles from dustbin and that bottles go to company for recyle. in the second step,recyle company recycle that plastic which come from dustbin . in third step,compressing into block then, crush that block of plastic then wash that material thatcome from crushing afterwashing producing plastic pellets after producing heating pellets to from raw material in final part ,heating pellets to from raw material then convert into reaw material into products like plastic bags,clothes etcof this is a main process that ,in previous we talk about some basic process but in this time we talk one think one every thing have a advantage ad disdadvantage like plastic bags bottles etc

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe the process of recycling plastic bottles shown in the visual data, covering some of the main stages such as collecting, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, and producing pellets. However, the information is presented in a very confused and disjointed manner, and the description includes irrelevant personal commentary at the end regarding the advantages and disadvantages of plastic, which is entirely outside the scope of an academic process description. Because the main features are only minimally reported and the format lacks the structure of a standard academic report, the response sits at this lower level. To improve, the writer must focus strictly on reporting the visual information in a logical order without adding outside opinions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

Cohesion and logical progression are major weaknesses in this response. The text is written as one long, dense block without proper paragraphing or standard structural organisation. While basic sequencing phrases like 'first of all', 'in the second step', and 'in third step' are used, they are repetitive and mechanical. Referencing is frequently unclear, using ambiguous pronouns such as 'that bottles go to company' and 'that come from crushing', which makes it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of information. There is no clear overall progression, causing the steps of the diagram to blur together. To progress, the student needs to divide the writing into clear paragraphs, use a wider variety of cohesive devices naturally, and ensure clear reference links between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary used throughout the response is basic, repetitive, and heavily relies on copying terms directly from the prompt or visual, such as 'plastic bottles', 'recycling', and 'raw material'. There are several word-choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'blastic' instead of plastic, 'pik' instead of pick, 'recyle' instead of recycle, and 'reaw' instead of raw. These errors and the limited range of vocabulary restrict the precision of the description and strain the reader. To achieve a higher band, the student should expand their working vocabulary to include precise synonyms and technical terms suitable for describing manufacturing or recycling processes, while paying careful attention to standard English spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The grammatical range is very limited, consisting mainly of simple clauses strung together with run-on punctuation or missing punctuation marks entirely, as seen in the phrase 'first of all . in this paragraph we discuss'. There are frequent errors in verb forms, tense consistency, and basic sentence construction, such as 'how to recycle plastic bottles in this process first of all a group of people come', where subject-verb agreement and clause boundaries are ignored. Prepositions and articles are also frequently missing or misused. These persistent errors cause considerable difficulty for the reader. To improve, the writer needs to focus on constructing complete, grammatically correct sentences with proper punctuation, accurate verb tenses, and correct article usage.

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

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