Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-04

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 process diagram shows the methodology for recycling plastic bottles, to produce variety of consumer goods.

Overall, the plastic bottles can be seen to be transformed completely into the finished goods like: t-shirts,pencils etc, through a process of 9 sequential stages. The process mainly seems to be machine driven, while at few stages humanised work can also be seen, to be carried out.

Firstly, the process begins, when the consumers throw the empty plastic jars into the recycling bins. Once sufficient qunatities of waste is collected into bins, than a truck with a large container, with recycling symbol visible on its container, arrives to collect the trash which is thrown into recycling bins, and the truck than trasnport it away to the recycling centre.

Subsequently, the trash is than sorted as recycleable or not, by an individual, through putting bottles in either one of two kept boxes for sorting purposes. Once sorting is completed, than eligible bottles for recycling are compressed into blocks. The compressed block of bottles, is than passed through two metal grinders, which crushes the block formed earlier, into smaller plastic pieces.

Another step is to, put all the plastic pieces into a heavy machine from the top position, which functions to produce plastic pellets, which in later stage are heated to form raw materials. Following the heating process, the raw material for different sorts of products is ready, and is packed into large bags. Lastly, the prepaired raw material bags, are then used to manufacture distinct items like; pencils, t-shirts, plastic boxes and bottles, and recycling bags etc, which are then used by consumers in some ways, and later on, are throw them, which eventually keeps on this whole recycling process to run always.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all nine stages of the plastic bottle recycling process, from the initial collection in bins to the production of end products and the continuation of the loop. An overview is provided at the beginning, noting that the process is largely machine-driven and consists of sequential steps. However, certain stages are slightly under-developed or described with minor inaccuracies in the sequence or details, such as the blending of stages where heating pellets leads directly to raw material bags. While all parts of the prompt are addressed, the depth of reporting on the mechanical versus manual actions shows the characteristics of a solid response that reaches the threshold of the next band without fully sustaining it across every single detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression through the stages of the diagram, moving sequentially from collection to sorting, crushing, washing, pelletising, and manufacturing. Paragraphing is used adequately to separate the introduction, overview, and body steps. Cohesive devices are employed to guide the reader, using transition words like 'Firstly', 'Subsequently', and 'Lastly'. However, referencing and cohesion can sometimes feel mechanical or slightly repetitive, with overuse of transition phrases such as 'is than' and 'than' instead of more varied cohesive structures, which keeps the response at this level.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common terms related to the process such as 'methodology', 'sequential stages', 'recycleable', and 'pellets'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, including 'qunatities', 'trasnport', 'recycleable', 'prepaired', and the misuse of 'than' instead of 'then'. Collocations and word forms also show some inaccuracy, such as 'humanised work' instead of 'manual labour'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score because precision and control are lacking.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an ability to combine clauses using relative pronouns and adverbial clauses. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly concerning articles ('to produce variety', 'into bins'), subject-verb agreement ('the plastic bottles can be seen... to be transformed', 'sufficient qunatities of waste is collected'), and punctuation comma splices ('t-shirts,pencils etc'). Complex structures often contain minor errors or awkward phrasing, though meaning is rarely obscured. The presence of these recurring grammatical slips places the writing squarely at this level.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.