Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 illustrates the necessary steps required for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, the process has nine different steps from collecting plastic bottles to processing them, and turning into raw material for making end products.

At first, plastic bottles, which are put in the recycling bin, are collected by recycling trucks. The collected plastic bottles are then sorted at the recycling centers. An employee sorts them by hand. Then, the sorted bottles are compressed into blocks. These blocks are then crushed by a machinery into finer pieces, which later go through a washing process. The crushed plastic particles then go through another machine and turned into even finer plastic pellets. The pellets are then heated and melted for processing it into raw materials. These raw material are then used for producing end products, such as, pen, recycled bags, clothing, as well as tapper wear.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the process as a sequence from bottle collection through processing to the production of new goods, and your overview correctly notes that it has nine steps. Most stages are reported in the right order, including sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. However, the account is not fully accurate or complete: it does not mention that unsuitable bottles are rejected during sorting, and it describes the pellets as being “melted,” which is not stated in the diagram. The examples of end products are also partly misread: the diagram shows pencils and a carrier bag, not a pen and “tapper wear.” The response is 143 words, below the required 150. Add a little more accurate detail about sorting and the closed loop to develop the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introductory sentence, a brief overview, and a chronological account of the stages. Sequencing expressions such as “At first,” “then,” and “later” help the reader follow the process, and the stages are generally presented in a logical order. This gives the response coherent progression. However, the account is compressed into one long paragraph after the overview, and repeated use of “then” makes the linking somewhat mechanical. Some references could also be clearer, particularly “These blocks” and “These raw material,” where more precise phrasing would help connect each stage to its output. To strengthen the organisation, group the collection and sorting stages together, then describe processing and the final products, using a wider range of natural transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a suitable range of process vocabulary, including “sorted,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “washing process,” “pellets,” and “raw material.” These terms make the stages understandable and show adequate topic-specific vocabulary. There are, however, several inaccurate or awkward choices that limit precision: “by a machinery” is not a natural expression, “finer pieces” is not supported by the diagram, and “tapper wear” appears to be an incorrect rendering of “Tupperware.” “Recycling trucks” is understandable, though “collection truck” is more precise. The phrase “such as, pen” also has an unnecessary comma and an imprecise product label. Aim for accurate nouns and natural collocations, especially when naming the machinery and end products, rather than adding details not shown.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the relative clause “plastic bottles, which are put in the recycling bin” and the passive construction “are compressed into blocks.” Most of the sequence remains easy to understand. Some grammatical errors are present, however: “turned into even finer plastic pellets” needs a passive verb (“are turned”), “processing it into raw materials” has an unclear pronoun reference, and “These raw material are” requires plural agreement. The sentence beginning “These blocks are then crushed by a machinery” also contains an article and noun-form problem. Review agreement, passive verb forms and pronoun reference, and check punctuation around examples. More consistently accurate control of these structures would make the process description smoother.

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