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 picture diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, the process of recycling of plastic bottles starts at collecting plastic bottle which are already used and then passing through a whole process such as sorting, the crushing into blocks till the formation of raw materials into end products is the whole process.

The plastic bottles were collected from workers and then brought to the recycling centre for sorting, and the compressing those bottle into blocks. Later, it was crushed by the machine and then washed. After washing, the main process of producing plastic pellets atarted in another machine. Then those pellets were gone through process of heating to form raw material. In the end, we get some end products through this whole process of recycling.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the recycling process and give a broad overview, noting that bottles are sorted, processed into raw material, and made into end products. Several stages are also reported in the correct order, including compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production, and heating. However, the account is incomplete: it does not mention that people place bottles in a recycling bin, that a truck transports them, or that sorting separates acceptable bottles from rejected items. The final products are not specified, and the overview is unclear in places, particularly “the crushing into blocks,” which confuses compressing with crushing. The response is also 23 words below the required minimum, limiting the detail provided. Include the full sequence and a clearer overview.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph describing the stages. Sequencing expressions such as “Overall,” “Later,” “After washing,” and “In the end” help the reader follow the general progression. However, the overview sentence is difficult to follow because several stages are compressed into one long, loosely connected statement. The final paragraph also moves quickly through the process and ends without describing the products shown. Some links are mechanical, with repeated use of “then,” and “the whole process” is repeated. Use shorter, clearly ordered sentences and refer to each stage consistently; grouping the collection and sorting stages separately from the manufacturing stages would make the progression clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressing,” “crushed,” “washed,” “plastic pellets,” and “raw material,” so the topic is generally clear. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “collected from workers,” “the main process … atarted,” and “gone through process of heating.” “Crushing into blocks” also does not accurately distinguish the diagram’s compressing stage from its later crushing stage. Spelling errors such as “atarted” are noticeable, and “plastic bottle” is sometimes used where the plural is needed. Aim for precise process collocations and vary the verbs used to describe movement and transformation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the sequence is usually understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms are frequent enough to make some parts awkward. For example, “starts at collecting plastic bottle” has an incorrect verb pattern and singular noun, while “and then passing through a whole process” does not fit grammatically with the sentence’s subject. In “the compressing those bottle into blocks,” the structure and plural form are faulty. The past-tense passive in “The plastic bottles were collected” is also inconsistent with the present-tense description used elsewhere. Practise consistent present simple forms for process diagrams, including accurate passive constructions, articles, and plural agreement.

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