Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram below illustrates the operations needing for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall the process need to pass with many operations across various machines and factories to finally get recycoled plastic bottles.

Firstly, plastic bottles are restored by trucks of plastics from the beens in the streets after getting thrown by indivuduals,after that they take to th recycling center to be organised by recicling workers and then compressed into blocks.furthermore, workers put it in to the big crushing machines for producing a small plastic pellets after that they heat those pellets to form row materiels in the end we finally arrive to the last step which is producing new plastic things to use it in our daily life .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject and give a basic sequence from collection through processing to new products, so the response is relevant to the diagram. However, the overview is vague (“many operations across various machines and factories”) and does not clearly explain the recycling loop, including that end products lead back to the start. Several stages are omitted or blurred: the sorting decision, washing, and the separate production of pellets are not clearly reported. The description also says the bottles are “restored by trucks,” which misrepresents collection. Most importantly, the response is 118 words, below the required 150, limiting the detail available. To improve, provide a clear overview and describe each main stage accurately, including the loop and examples of end products.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is a recognisable chronological order, beginning with bottles being discarded and moving through collection, sorting, compression, crushing, heating and end products. This gives the reader a basic sense of progression. However, the response is presented as one paragraph, and the long middle sentence strings many stages together with “after that,” “furthermore” and “in the end.” These links are repetitive and sometimes make the relationships between stages unclear. For example, washing and pellet production are compressed into “crushing machines for producing a small plastic pellets,” so the sequence is difficult to follow. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and process details, and give each stage a clear sentence with accurate linking phrases such as “Next” and “Following this.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushing machines,” “pellets” and “raw materials,” which helps communicate the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the account difficult to understand: “restored” does not describe bottles being collected, “beens” appears to mean bins, and “recycoled” and “materiels” are misspelled. “Plastic things” is also too vague for the range of products shown. Aim for precise process terms such as “collected,” “sorted,” “washed” and “manufactured,” and name examples like containers, clothing or carrier bags. Proofreading spelling and choosing natural collocations will make the description clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect several stages in a complex sentence, and the basic sequence can still be understood. However, the response relies heavily on one long sentence, with limited control of sentence boundaries and punctuation. There are frequent problems with verb forms and sentence construction, as in “after that they take to th recycling center” and “we finally arrive to the last step.” The opening also has an awkward structure: “the operations needing for recycling.” Articles and agreement are inconsistent, and the final phrase “to use it” does not agree clearly with the plural products. Use shorter, complete sentences and practise passive forms suited to process descriptions, such as “The bottles are taken to a recycling centre” and “The pellets are heated.”

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