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 illustates several processes related to plastic bottles recycling.

Overall, it can be seen that the process of plastic bottles recycling constists of nine gradual stages. Starting from littering disposed plastic bags and bottles, and ending with the final product which is being used for making different plastic items.

The process started with when people threw plastic bottles or bags into recycling bins, then such plastics transported by special vehicles to the manufacturer which is known as recycling centre, where the process of sorting is performed by workers. They often sperate plastics depend on how useful it can be. Distinguished plastics then compressed into blocks by a machine, after that the procss of crushing plastics into smsller pieces is conducted. Then the product is being washed in large water filled containers.

Next step is to produce plastic pallets ,which is performed by specialized machine by grinding the smaller pieces of the washed plastics. After that the plastic pellets are heated in order to form raw material , which then placed over each other as they became more rigid and shaped. The final raw plastic material then used to create various types ofplastic product including pencils, bags, containers, bottles even in clothing industry.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages and provide an overview, noting that the process has nine stages and ends with products made from recycled plastic. The sequence from collection and sorting through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating is mostly reported accurately. However, the overview says the process starts with “littering disposed plastic bags and bottles,” although the diagram shows bottles being placed in a recycling bin; bags are shown among the final products, not as input. Some details are also unclear or unsupported: sorting separates acceptable from rejected bottles, rather than plastics according to “how useful” they are, and the raw material is not described as becoming rigid through being placed over itself. The account addresses the task, but these imprecisions and uneven development limit its completeness.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall shape: an introduction and overview are followed by the stages in sequence, with “Next step” marking the move from washing to pellet production. This makes the process generally easy to follow. The progression is not always smooth, however. The overview’s reference to bags conflicts with the later account, and “The process started with when” is an awkward transition into the first stage. Several links rely on repeated “then” and “after that,” so cohesion can feel mechanical rather than varied. Paragraphing is also limited: separating the overview from the detailed stages, and grouping the stages into two phases, would make the organisation clearer. More precise references between stages would help the reader track what “the product” means.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushing,” “washed,” “pellets” and “raw material,” which helps communicate the sequence. There is some attempt at more specific language, such as “specialized machine” and “various types,” but word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive. “Littering disposed” does not express placing bottles in a recycling bin, while “manufacturer” is not the diagram’s term for the recycling centre. “Plastic pallets” is also incorrect for pellets, and “smsller” and “illustates” contain spelling errors. These issues sometimes make the description less precise. Aim for accurate process collocations and check spelling and word forms carefully; this would make the vocabulary more controlled and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and longer sentences, including sequencing clauses with “then” and “after that,” and the main process is usually understandable. However, some sentence patterns are faulty or awkward, and errors recur in verb forms, articles and agreement. For example, “The process started with when” combines incompatible constructions, while “such plastics transported” needs a passive verb (“were transported”). In “they became more rigid,” the pronoun reference is unclear and the tense does not fit the process description. There are also missing or misplaced articles and punctuation, as in “Next step is to produce plastic pallets ,which…”. Use consistent present simple passive forms for the stages, and check each clause for a complete verb and clear subject.

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