Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-07

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 provides information on the process of how plastic bottles are recycled.

Overall, the process includes nine steps, from throwing a plastic bottle in a large bin to producing end products.The process shows more of a recurring cycle than a one-to-nine step.

At first, plastic products, like a plastic bottle, bags or pencils are thrown away in a trash container. Later on, a truck picks up the huge trash bins and drive it to a recycling centre where employees sort plastic bins into recyclable or non-recyclable boxes. In the next step, the recyclable plastic products are compressed into blocks, where it is crushed. The single crushed products fall into a water bath where they are washed.

Afterwards, the products are putted into a machine that produces plastic pellets. In addition, pellets come out of the side of the machine. These products are heated in order to form raw material. Yet, raw material has been created. Out of these material, end products are produced in form of pencils, plastic bags, shirts and cans. If they are used up, the process begins from the very beginning.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages and give a relevant overview, noting both the nine-step process and its recurring nature. The account follows the diagram from disposal and collection through sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and the creation of new products. You also identify examples of the final products. Some details, however, are less fully or accurately reported: the opening says plastic products such as bags and pencils are thrown away, whereas the diagram shows bottles being placed in the bin; the sorting stage is about bottles, not bins; and the final examples include food containers, not cans. To make the summary more complete and precise, describe the sorting of unsuitable bottles and clarify that the finished products re-enter the cycle after use.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a clear sequence, with an overview followed by two paragraphs that trace the process from collection to the production of new goods. Connectors such as “At first,” “Later on,” and “Afterwards” help the reader follow the stages. The overall progression is coherent, though some linking is mechanical and a few references are unclear. For example, “These products” could refer to the pellets or the plastic entering the machine, while “Yet, raw material has been created” interrupts the sequence rather than linking the stages. The overview also runs directly into the next sentence without a space after the full stop. Use clearer references and smoother transitions to make cohesion more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “recycling centre,” “compressed into blocks,” “water bath,” “pellets,” and “raw material.” These terms make the stages understandable, and the response attempts some more specific wording. However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for this diagram: “trash container” and “huge trash bins” are less suitable than “recycling bin” and “collection truck,” while “single crushed products” does not clearly describe the plastic pieces. “Putted” is an incorrect word form, and “in form of” is an awkward collocation. Aim for precise process terms and check common collocations; this would improve flexibility and accuracy without changing the clear overall meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “where employees sort…” and a conditional sentence beginning “If they are used up.” Most stages remain understandable, but some grammatical errors persist. In “a truck picks up the huge trash bins and drive it,” the verb should agree with “truck,” and the pronoun should refer clearly to the plural bins. “These products are heated” shifts to the present passive without a clear antecedent, while “raw material has been created” uses an unnecessary change of tense and voice. There are also errors in “Out of these material” and punctuation spacing after “end products.” Practise consistent tense, agreement, and clear sentence references while retaining your varied sentence forms.

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