Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of recycling bottles of plastic. Overall, the process consists of 9 steps.

The first step shows a person throwing water bottles into the recycle bin. All of the garbage from waste diposal bins is thrown into the waste collection truck in the second step. Then in the third step, plastic bottles are separated from general waste in the recycling centre.

Later on, in the fourth step, separated plastic bottles are compressed into huge blocks and then crushed into small plastic fragments in the crusher and then washed thoroughly in the large water container before converting into small pebbles in the sixth step.

Plastic pebbles made in the sixth step are now heated to produce raw materials for different products in the seventh step. Raw material is ready in the eighth step and can now be converted into products according to our needs and this occurs in the last cycle of plastic recycling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from discarding the bottles to producing new end products. However, some aspects of the process are developed more fully than others. While the middle stages of sorting, compressing, crushing, and washing are described with clear sequential details, the final stages are somewhat compressed and lack precision regarding how raw materials are ultimately transformed back into everyday items. The overview is provided at the beginning, noting the total number of steps, which satisfies the basic requirements of an academic task one response, though a more expansive synthesis of the overall cyclical nature of the diagram would elevate the task achievement further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The text maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear chronological progression that mirrors the steps in the diagram. Sequential markers such as 'The first step', 'Then in the third step', 'Later on', and 'in the sixth step' are used to guide the reader through the process, although they occasionally feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction from the body of the process, but the grouping of sentences could be balanced better to improve logical flow. Referencing is generally clear, though transitional links between the middle chemical and physical transformations and the final manufacturing stage could be smoother to avoid abrupt shifts in the narrative.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the actions shown in the diagram such as 'compressed', 'crushed', 'washed thoroughly', and 'heated'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'fragments', 'pebbles', and 'raw materials', demonstrating a sufficient range for the topic. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing, such as referring to plastic pellets as 'pebbles', which slightly reduces precision. Spelling is generally accurate throughout, and although minor lexical slips occur, they do not impede communication or prevent the reader from following the description of the recycling loop.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic clause structures and continuous descriptions. There are some grammatical errors, such as article usage and prepositional choices like 'bottles of plastic' instead of 'plastic bottles' and 'waste diposal bins', but these errors occur infrequently and rarely impede communication. Punctuation is generally functional, and verb tenses remain appropriately consistent in the present tense to describe a continuous, repetitive process. To achieve a higher band, the writer would need to incorporate a wider variety of more sophisticated complex sentence structures with fewer minor grammatical slips.

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

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