Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The diagram illustrates the eight step process involved in recycling of plastic bottles.

Overall, the steps by step process starts from bottle collection from different waste bins, and then transporting them to recycle centre, where the bottles were compressed, crashed and underwent some mechanical process to form a raw material that can be used for creating new product.

At initial stages of the process, cleaning staff collect plastic bottles from waste bins and transmit the bottles to recycling centre. Here bottles were sorted and compressed into a block with the help of compressing machine. Afterwards this blocked is crushed to obtain small plastic particles. Then these particles are washed and send to next machine.

In next step, these these chunks of plastic are thrown into a machine to produce plastic pallets. Furthermore, these pallets are heated to obtain the raw material, that is required to manufacture new products like shirts, pen and new bottles etc. These product obtained by recycled plastic are then again sent to market for customers.

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 initial collection to final products. However, some aspects are under-developed or imprecise. For example, the overview mentions eight steps, whereas the diagram depicts a continuous cycle with nine distinct stages. Additionally, some descriptions of the mechanical stages lack clarity, such as the transition where bottles are compressed and crushed. To reach a higher band, the overview should more accurately reflect the total number of steps, and every stage in the diagram should be described with greater precision, ensuring key processes like washing and pellet production are fully elaborated.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear division into an introduction with an overview, followed by body paragraphs detailing the sequential stages of the process. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader through the cycle, such as 'At initial stages', 'Afterwards', and 'In next step'. However, cohesion occasionally feels mechanical or repetitive, and referencing is sometimes imprecise, as seen with phrases like 'these chunks of plastic' and 'these product obtained'. To improve, you should employ a wider variety of transitional phrases and ensure that referencing pronouns clearly link back to their intended antecedents without sounding monotonous.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the general meaning of the recycling process with words like 'collection', 'waste bins', 'recycles centre', and 'raw material'. There are, however, several lexical inaccuracies and spelling errors, such as 'crashed' instead of 'crushed', 'blocked' instead of 'block', 'pallets' instead of 'pellets', and 'pen' instead of 'pens'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a limited control over less common vocabulary and word forms. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate greater precision in word choice and spelling, particularly with technical terms related to manufacturing and recycling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, successfully linking clauses to describe a sequential process. There are, nevertheless, several grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies (e.g., mixing present and past forms such as 'bottles were compressed, crashed and underwent' alongside 'cleaning staff collect'), missing articles ('to recycle centre', 'to next machine'), and punctuation issues. While these errors rarely impede overall communication, they demonstrate a lack of consistent control over complex structures. To move up, you should aim for greater accuracy in verb tense consistency, article usage, and subject-verb agreement.

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

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