Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-09

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)

The given process chart illustrates how plastic bottes are recycled step by step,

In iniate step, plastic bottles are thrown in dustbins by the human beings then the all plastic waste is loaded in the trucks . Furthermore, in the third step they moved to recycling centre for sorting. Then in next step plastic bottles are compressed into blocks. In fifth step plastic bottles gets into the crushing machine and after crushing immdetialy the oved for washing.

In the sixth step, plastic waste thrown in big machine where they producing plastic peliets. After six step it moved for further steps. In seventh step, they heat the plastic peliets to form a raw material. In the second last step the raw material packed into the creates. Then in the final step it is ready for producing the products which were made by the plastic waste.

Overall, this process contains 8 steps. The process begans with plastic bottle thrown in dustbin and ended with the products which are made up of plastic waste.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence from bottles being discarded through collection, sorting, processing and the production of new goods. The overview also identifies the beginning and end of the cycle. However, it says the process has “8 steps,” whereas the diagram shows nine numbered stages, and it describes the cycle as ending with products without noting that an arrow returns to the first stage. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate: the sorting stage separates acceptable bottles from rejected items, and the raw material is shown as bundled on a pallet rather than packed into “creates.” To strengthen the response, give a more accurate overview of the closed loop and report the key stages more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a generally understandable order, and the use of “Furthermore,” “Then,” and “Overall” helps signal progression. Paragraphing also separates the process description from the overview. However, the sequence is not always easy to follow: “After six step it moved for further steps” is vague and interrupts the account, while “In the second last step” makes the stage harder to identify than naming it directly. The overview comes after the detailed stages and repeats the start and finish rather than clearly summarising the cycle. Use clearer stage-to-stage links and organise the description into a concise overview followed by the process in logical groups.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushing,” “washing,” and “raw material,” so the reader can recognise the general subject. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, sometimes making details difficult to understand. Examples include “dustbins” for a recycling bin, “peliets” for pellets, and “creates” for crates; “the all plastic waste” is also an awkward phrase. Repetition of “plastic bottles” and “step” limits variety. Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “the bottles are collected,” “the plastic is washed,” and “the material is formed into pellets.” Proofread spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer sequences, and the use of passive forms is appropriate for describing a process. However, control is inconsistent, and errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “plastic bottles gets into the crushing machine” has an agreement error, while “where they producing plastic” lacks a correctly formed verb phrase. “In iniate step” and “the raw material packed” also show problems with sentence formation and missing grammatical elements. Practise consistent present-simple passive structures, such as “the bottles are sorted” and “the pellets are heated,” and check each sentence for a complete verb and clear subject.

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