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)

we have seen the usage of plastic bottles very often, but the people around don't know the meaning of these bottles that these bottles can be recycled and they just through them. In the given diagram the bottles are first collected from garbage by the workers are are taken to the carriage vehicle when will transport these bottles to the place where they will be recycled(recycling center , then in the center they will start from sorting the bottles in way that such bottles will be thrown away which too much damaged or unable to recycled ,after words these bottles are taken to a machine which will compress them into blocks then the blocks are taken to a crushing machine in order to crush them into very tiny pieces and are washed to remove all impurities , this crushed material is then taken to another machine where this whole material is heated and to make it into a raw material for further production of items.This raw material is then transfer to other companies to make items like bottles, pen cases etc.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the task only partially, sitting comfortably at the lower level. While it attempts to cover the stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, the explanation lacks a clear, structured overview and fails to effectively summarise the main features of the diagram. The writing reads more like a continuous narrative rather than a well-organised summary of a visual process. Furthermore, some ideas are repetitive or under-developed, such as the initial collection phase, and certain details miss the precise sequence shown in the prompt. To move to a higher band, the response needs to begin with a clear introduction and overview, followed by a well-structured summary that logically covers every distinct stage of the diagram without unnecessary colloquial commentary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text demonstrates some organisation, but it suffers from a lack of clear overall progression. The entire response consists of one single, run-on paragraph, which makes it very difficult for the reader to follow the sequential stages of the recycling process. Cohesive devices are either missing or inadequate; the writer relies heavily on basic comma splices and repetitive connectors like 'then' to link clauses, such as in 'recycling center , then in the center they will start...'. There is no effective paragraphing to separate the collection and sorting stages from the processing and manufacturing stages. To improve, the writer must use paragraphing to divide the process into logical phases and employ a wider, more accurate range of cohesive devices to guide the reader smoothly through the steps.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey the basic topic of recycling. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary related to the process, such as 'compress', 'crushing', and 'impurities', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice and form, including spelling mistakes like 'through' instead of 'throw', and awkward phrasing like 'unable to recycled'. There are also lexical inaccuracies such as calling the transport vehicle a 'carriage vehicle'. While communication is not entirely impeded, these frequent lexical slips prevent the response from achieving a higher band. To improve, the writer should focus on precise word formation, appropriate collocations for industrial processes, and correct spelling of common verbs and nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response displays a very limited range of sentence structures, consisting largely of a single, excessively long and convoluted sentence strung together with coordinating conjunctions and commas. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to serious punctuation and grammatical issues, such as missing periods, run-on sentences, and incorrect verb forms like 'workers are are taken' and 'too much damaged'. Subject-verb agreement and relative clause formations also show persistent problems. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to break the text down into distinct, grammatically accurate sentences, incorporating a healthy mix of simple and complex structures with proper punctuation, control over verb tenses, and accurate prepositional usage.

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

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