Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-06

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 7.0)

The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles, from their collection to the production of new products.

Overall,it is nine-stage process thatbegins with people placing used plastic bottles in recycling bins and end with the production of varous new items. The bottles are collected, sorted, processed and converted into raw material before making used to make new products.

Initially, used plastic bottles are put into special recycling bin. They are then collected by truck and transported to recycling center, where they are sorted. Suitable bottles are separated from unsuitable ones.The selected bottles are subsequently compressed into large blocks.

Next,these blocks are crushed into small peice, which are then washed throughly. The clean pieces are processed to produce plastic pellets, In the following stage , the pellets are heated and melted to form raw plastic material.

Finally, this raw material is used to manufacture range of end products, such as new plastic bottles, container, T-shirt, shopping bags and stationery. Thus the process transform discarded plastic bottles into useful new products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear and comprehensive summary of the nine-stage plastic bottle recycling process. The overview accurately highlights the core trajectory from the initial collection to the final manufacture of new goods, and key stages are reported logically without omitting essential steps. The main features are appropriately selected and reported, fulfilling the requirements for a high band. To reach the highest tier, the writer could provide slightly more nuanced comparisons or elaborations on the mechanical transformations within the recycling centre, but overall, the task is handled thoroughly and effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout, moving smoothly from collection to sorting, processing, and finally to end-product creation. Paragraphing is used appropriately to divide the introduction, body steps, and conclusion, while cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Next', and 'Finally' are employed to guide the reader through the sequence of events. Although some minor linking slips occur, referencing is generally clear and effective. To achieve an even higher score, cohesion could be made slightly more sophisticated by avoiding repetitive transitional markers and incorporating a greater variety of referencing pronouns.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, attempting less common lexical items such as 'compressed', 'pellets', and 'stationery' with a general awareness of the context. However, there are a few word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'peice' instead of 'pieces', 'varous' instead of 'various', and missing plural forms in phrases like 'manufacture range' and 'new plastic bottle'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect the characteristics of this performance level. To improve, the writer should focus on precise word forms, spell-checking, and expanding collocation control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating decent control over passive structures which are essential for describing processes, such as 'are collected, sorted, processed and converted'. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and missing articles, including missing verbs or subject-verb agreement issues like 'end with' instead of 'ends with', 'making used to make' instead of 'being used to make', and 'special recycling bin' missing an article or pluralisation. Punctuation spacing issues also appear around commas. These errors are typical of a developing range where control over complex grammar fluctuates.

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