Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-08

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 5.5)

In this diagram, it shows about recycling process, that how the bottles are recycled. First they collect the plastic from the recycle bins. Then they move it into recycling trucks and unload it at recycling centre which is also known as sorting. Then the workers seprate recycle and non-recycle plastic. Which plastic can be recycle, put in compressing machine which compress it and make a block. Then that block move to crushing stage, when it's crushing it is thrown in water for washing. After a clear wash it has been put in plastic pellets machine and it comes to same small pieces. Then the process of heating starts and give them a shape of raw material which are in the shape of big blocks. The weight of this raw material are in tons. then raw material are supplied to factory for the production of material from which disposable things are made bottles and many more things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You describe the main sequence from collection through sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating, so the reader can follow the basic recycling process. However, the response only partly covers the diagram: it does not clearly state that the process is a closed loop, or explain that the resulting material is used to make several end products and feeds back into bottle recycling. The claim that the raw material weighs “in tons” is not shown in the diagram, and “disposable things” is an imprecise description of the pictured products. Add a concise overview of the cycle and report only features supported by the visual to make the account more complete and accurate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are generally presented in the correct order, and sequencing words such as “First,” “Then,” and “After” help show how the process develops. This gives the response some clear organisation. However, it is written as one continuous paragraph, and several transitions are awkward or unclear, particularly “Which plastic can be recycle, put in compressing machine” and “Then the process of heating starts and give them a shape.” The final stages are also compressed together, so the cycle’s return to the beginning is not made clear. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and the process details, and connect each stage with clear, accurate references to the material being processed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressing,” “crushing,” “washing,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” which helps communicate the stages. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “recycle bins,” “clear wash,” “same small pieces,” and “disposable things.” Spelling errors such as “seprate” also reduce precision. Aim for more exact process language and avoid adding unsupported descriptions such as “in tons.” For example, describe the material as being “washed” and “processed into pellets,” then say it is used to manufacture a range of products.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to link stages using longer sentences, but the range of sentence structures is limited and errors occur frequently enough to make some relationships difficult to follow. For example, “In this diagram, it shows about recycling process” has an unclear subject and missing articles, while “Which plastic can be recycle, put in compressing machine” is not a complete, correctly formed sentence. There are also problems with agreement and verb forms in “the process of heating starts and give them a shape” and “The weight of this raw material are.” Use straightforward complete sentences with a consistent present simple passive, such as “The bottles are sorted” and “The plastic is heated to form raw material,” and check subject–verb agreement.

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