Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-03

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 flow chart give information about a method of recycling plastic bottles in nine method from bin to produce products.

Overall, this process take nine steps to make a product from a throwing waste. There are some process which needs human to take part and rest is done by machine.

At the beginning, People are thrown various plastic products in Bin and then a pickup van is collected the waste to give the plastic waste at the recycling center for shorting the products. Therefore, the short materials are given to the Compressor to compress the products into blocks. However, the next step is crushing the block so that it will be easy to wash and go for the further process.

After crushing and washing, the products are given to a plastic pellets and some raw materials are used to heat the pellets. Then raw materials are ready for the final steps to make valuable items which is significant for our daily usage. From step one to final products these whole thing is necessary for biodiversity

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response attempts to describe the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, fulfilling the minimum length requirement and giving a basic overview. However, the coverage is only partial because some steps are slightly inaccurate or conflated. For instance, the text states 'some raw materials are used to heat the pellets', whereas the diagram shows the pellets themselves being heated to form raw material. Furthermore, the final conclusion regarding biodiversity is extraneous and not shown in the visual data. To move to a higher band, the writer needs to present a clearer and more accurate overview of all the distinct stages in the loop without introducing irrelevant personal commentary or misinterpreting the visual steps.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some basic organisation in the response, dividing the text into an introduction, an overview, and body sentences. However, there is no clear overall progression, and the logical flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical or faulty. Cohesive devices such as 'At the beginning', 'Therefore', and 'However' are misused in terms of logical connector meaning—for instance, 'However, the next step is crushing' is inappropriate because the step following compression naturally leads to crushing rather than presenting a contrast. Paragraphing is also rudimentary, blending separate stages together. To improve, the writer must ensure that cohesive links accurately reflect chronological and logical relationships between the stages of the diagram.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common terms related to the process, such as 'recycling center', 'compress', and 'pellets', but there are noticeable word choice and word form errors throughout the text, such as 'shorting' instead of 'sorting', 'short materials' instead of 'sorted materials', and 'a throwing waste'. These errors occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the candidate needs to expand their range of vocabulary, use more precise scientific or descriptive terms for industrial processes, and ensure correct word forms and spellings, such as 'throwaway waste' or 'discarded plastic'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response shows a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent errors. Attempts at passive voice or complex clauses are often faulty, such as 'The flow chart give information' (subject-verb agreement), 'this process take nine steps' (verb form error), 'People are thrown various plastic products' (incorrect passive construction), and 'items which is significant' (plural/singular agreement). These frequent errors cause strain and difficulty for the reader. To progress to a higher band, the writer must demonstrate better control over basic grammatical structures, use accurate tense and voice forms appropriate for process descriptions—such as present simple passives (e.g., 'bottles are collected')—and reduce the frequency of structural errors.

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

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