Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The given illustration displays the proccess of how plastic bottles are recycled.

Overall, plastic bottles are recycled through multiple procedures ranging from compression, crushing to heating. By the end, The plastics are converted to usable products.

At first, the thrown wastes are collected from the recycle bins by a vechile. The wastes are sorted by hands at a recycling centre so the plastic bottles are seperated from other wastes. After which the sorted plastic bottles are compressed into blocks and the blocks are crushed into small pieces by gears then they are washed with water.

The small washed pieces of plastics are turned to plastic pellets with the necessary machine. Afterwards, the pellets are heated to form the raw materials . The raw materials serve as the basis for producing various products like clothes, recyclable bags, pencils, containers,etc. The products reach the consumers and after utilization they are thrown back in the bins. From there the recycling cycle continues

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the main stages accurately, from bottles being placed in bins and collected to sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating and the creation of end products. The overview identifies the process as a sequence of recycling procedures and notes that it produces usable goods, while the final sentences also capture the cycle returning to the bins. Relevant examples such as clothes, bags, pencils and containers support the description. To make the account more fully developed, describe the sorting decision more precisely: the diagram shows suitable bottles being separated from unsuitable items, rather than simply from “other wastes.” Also, “The products reach the consumers” is not shown explicitly; focus on the diagram’s return arrow from end products to the recycling bin instead of adding this inference.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a clear sequence, and the paragraphing separates the overview from the detailed stages. Time and sequence markers such as “At first,” “After which,” and “Afterwards” help the reader follow the process, and the final reference to the cycle continuing gives the account a logical ending. This is a coherent overall arrangement. However, some links feel mechanical or unclear: “After which” begins a sentence without a clear subject, and “From there” could refer either to the consumers or the bins. The description would progress more smoothly if each stage were linked directly to the next and the final loop were expressed with an unambiguous reference to the products returning to the recycling bins.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses relevant process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushed,” “pellets,” “raw materials” and “recycling centre,” so the stages are generally understandable. It also attempts some variation with phrases such as “serve as the basis for.” However, the range and precision are uneven, and several noticeable spelling or word-choice problems limit control: “proccess,” “vechile” and “seperated” are misspelled, while “thrown wastes” and “recyclable bags” are not natural or accurate descriptions in this context. “By hands” is also an awkward collocation. Proofread spelling and choose standard process terms, such as “discarded bottles,” “by hand” and “reusable bags,” to make the account more precise and fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and most of the process remains easy to understand. Passive constructions such as “are collected,” “are sorted” and “are compressed” suit a process description, while the final sentence attempts to express the cycle continuing. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. In “After which the sorted plastic bottles are compressed,” the introductory clause is incomplete; connect it to the preceding sentence or use “The sorted bottles are then compressed.” The capital letter in “The plastics” after a comma is incorrect, and the space before the full stop in “raw materials .” should be removed. Check sentence boundaries and punctuation while retaining the useful passive forms.

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