Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-11

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 4.0)

The given process chart the process for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, there are nine steps in total, all steps are essential . Firstly garbage is thrown into the bin. then is transported to the recycling centre for the process of sorting, afterwards garbage

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic and gives a basic overview by stating that there are nine steps and mentioning disposal, transport and sorting. These details match the diagram, but the account stops partway through the process: it does not describe compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating, or the creation of new products and the return loop. The overview that “all steps are essential” is not a useful summary of the process’s main features. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, leaving the task only minimally addressed. To improve, describe the full sequence accurately and include the key outcome: recycled material is made into products that can re-enter the cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, beginning with an introduction and then moving into an overview and the first stages. The sequence “Firstly” and “then” signals progression, and the mention of the recycling centre follows the diagram’s order. However, the response ends abruptly at “afterwards garbage,” so there is no completed progression or conclusion. The transition words are also not consistently punctuated or capitalised: “then” follows a full stop but begins with a lowercase letter. Use separate paragraphs for an overview and the detailed stages, and connect each stage with clear, accurate sequencing language so the reader can follow the entire cycle.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to identify the general subject and some early stages, using terms such as “recycling plastic bottles,” “bin,” “recycling centre,” and “sorting.” However, the range is very limited, and “garbage” is imprecise for the diagram, which specifically shows plastic bottles being sorted; repeating it also obscures what is being processed. The response does not use the process vocabulary needed to report the later stages, such as compressing, crushing, washing, pellets, or raw material. Choose precise nouns and verbs from the diagram and vary them appropriately—for example, refer to “discarded plastic bottles” rather than “garbage,” and describe the material as it changes through the stages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a simple overview and a sequence of stages, but grammatical control is uneven even in these short sentences. “The given process chart the process for recycling plastic bottles” is missing a main verb, while “then is transported” lacks a clear subject and auxiliary construction. The sentence ending “afterwards garbage” is incomplete, and the space before the full stop in “essential .” is incorrect punctuation. Most of the writing relies on basic sentence forms, so there is little evidence of a wider range. Build complete sentences with an explicit subject and verb, such as “The bottles are then transported to a recycling centre,” and check sentence boundaries, capitalisation, and punctuation.

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