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 picture describes the procedure for plastic bottles recycling.

Overall, it shows the process of recycling in 9 steps from throwing them into garbage, collecting ,sorting , compressing , crushing and washing leading to the formation of pellets followed by the production of raw material which is then utilized effectively.

The process starts from human throwing plastic bottles in garbage cans which are then collected by garbage trucks dropping them at recycling centre for sorting. This process is then followed by compressing the bottlee into blocks subsequently crushing and washing them.

Furthermore, plastic pellets are being produced which are further heated to form the raw material. In next step, the raw material is being packed and successfully being recycled to manufacture various products including clothes, plastic bags, pens and plastic boxes with bottles too. Hence, plastic bottles are being recycled effectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages in the correct order, from disposal and collection through sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating, and you identify the creation of new products. The overview also recognises that this is a multi-stage recycling process. However, some details are unclear or incomplete: the sorting stage’s separation of suitable and unsuitable bottles is not explained, and the final products are described imprecisely as “clothes,” “pens” and “plastic boxes” rather than a T-shirt, pencils, containers and a carrier bag. The response is also 141 words, below the required 150. Add a little more precise detail about sorting and the loop back to the start to develop the account fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall sequence and is divided into an opening, an overview and two paragraphs describing the stages. Connectors such as “Overall,” “Furthermore” and “In next step” help signal progression. However, some linking is mechanical or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “which” and “then,” and the final “Hence” repeats the idea that recycling is effective rather than adding a new stage. The overview also compresses many stages into one long sentence, making the sequence harder to follow. Use clearer stage-by-stage transitions and refer back to the materials consistently; for example, distinguish the bottles, pellets and raw material rather than relying on “them” or “which.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “compressing,” “crushing,” “washing,” “pellets” and “raw material,” so the reader can understand the main stages. There are also some attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “utilized effectively.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise: “throwing them into garbage” and “garbage cans” do not match the recycling-bin description as well as “placing bottles in a recycling bin,” while “bottlee” is a spelling error. “Clothes,” “pens” and “plastic boxes” are less precise than the products shown. Choose specific, natural terms for the diagram and avoid adding evaluative wording such as “successfully” or “effectively” when it does not describe a process stage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the relative clause in “which are then collected” and the participle phrase “followed by the production of raw material.” The sequence remains understandable despite some grammatical errors. For example, “The process starts from human throwing” has an awkward structure; write “The process starts when people place…” Also, “In next step” needs an article (“In the next step”), and “plastic pellets are being produced” uses an unnecessary progressive form for a general process. The sentence beginning “Overall” is long and has a list that is not fully parallel. Aim for consistent present simple in process descriptions and check articles, verb forms and punctuation when joining several stages.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.