Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram illustrates the procedure of recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, the person collects the plastic bottle from the trash can and then goes through several steps to achieve final result as a pen, shirt, shopping bag or bottles from the unwanted plastic bottle.

The first step from the nine steps is collecting the plastic bottle from the garbage box and then the plastic bags are kept in garbage collector car. In third step the plastic bags are sorted in lines to keep them in arrange order then the plastic bottles are compressed into block so they can be crushed easily.

The fifth step is crushing the blocks so it can be much smaller in size to fit in plastic pellets machine and the plastice pellets convert that cushed plastic bottles into raw material and these raw material can be used to produce product. Hence, in the final step product such as shirt, pen and shopping bags are produced.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the topic and give a broad overview, noting that discarded plastic is turned into products such as clothing, bags and bottles. You also describe several early stages, including collection, sorting, compression and crushing. However, the account only partially covers the process: washing, pellet production, heating the pellets, and the return loop from end products to the recycling bin are omitted or inaccurately combined. The overview also says a person collects a bottle, whereas the diagram shows a person placing bottles in a bin and a truck collecting them. Some details, such as sorting “in lines” and crushing to make the plastic fit a pellet machine, are not clearly supported. Covering the full sequence and stating that it is a cycle would make the report more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, an overview, and paragraphs that move through the stages in sequence. Numbering stages (“In third step” and “The fifth step”) helps the reader follow the process, and the final sentence signals the outcome. However, the progression becomes less clear when several distinct stages are compressed into one sentence: “the plastic pellets convert that cushed plastic bottles into raw material” skips the washing and pellet-making stages and confuses the sequence. Some references, such as “these raw material,” are also unclear. Use a separate sentence for each major phase and connect them with precise sequencing language such as “after washing” and “once heated” to make the links more reliable.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushed,” “raw material,” and “produced,” so the reader can understand the general subject. However, the range is limited and some choices are inaccurate or repetitive. “Garbage box” and “garbage collector car” do not describe the recycling bin and collection truck naturally, while “plastic bags” is repeatedly used where the diagram shows bottles. “Plastic pellets machine” is also an awkward phrase, and “cushed” and “plastice” are spelling errors. Aim for more precise terms such as “recycling bin,” “collection truck,” “plastic flakes,” and “pellet-making machine.” This would improve clarity and give the process description more appropriate technical vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a purpose clause in “so they can be crushed easily” and a result clause beginning “Hence.” The main sequence is generally understandable, but errors in sentence structure and grammatical forms are noticeable. For example, “the plastic pellets convert that cushed plastic bottles” has an unclear subject and verb relationship; “these raw material can be used” has a plural agreement problem; and “In third step” needs an article. The opening overview also has an awkward construction in “then goes through several steps to achieve final result.” Use clear subjects for each stage, check singular and plural agreement, and include articles where needed. More consistently controlled complex sentences would strengthen the description.

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.