Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The diagram shows the entire process of plastic being recycled: starting right from the disposal of plastic to the manufacturing of usable products.

Firstly, waste materials are discarded in local bins by the individuals using them. Later, a garbage truck fills the waste in its container using mechanical arms to lift the bins. These trucks transport the garbage to recycling centres wherein most of the later process takes place.

Initially, the waste is manually segregated into different types to differentiate plastic from other materials. Then, the seperated plastic is compressed into dense blocks to efficiently crush them into smaller microplastic. Subsequently, the product is washed to produce pure plastic pellets. In order to easily mold the recycled pellets, they must be heated first and then be converted to regularly-shaped raw materials. These almost identical raw blocks of plastic can finally be converted into various final products such as tiffin boxes, bottles, carry bags and so on.

The variey of products made can be recycled into other new products by repeating this cylce all over again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response gives a clear account of the main stages, from disposal and collection through sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and the creation of new products. It also identifies the key overall feature: the process is cyclical, with products returning to the recycling process. Most details match the diagram, and examples such as bottles and carry bags are supported by the visual. However, a few descriptions are imprecise or over-generalised: the diagram shows sorting into accepted and rejected items, rather than explicitly sorting into different material types, and it does not specify mechanical arms or that the pellets are heated to make them easier to mould. More precise reporting of these stages would make the account more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is organised in a clear sequence, and the paragraphing separates the introduction, collection, processing and concluding return to the cycle. Sequencing expressions such as “Firstly,” “Later,” “Then,” and “Subsequently” help the reader follow the stages. The final sentence effectively links the end products back to the beginning. Some connections are slightly mechanical, however, and “Initially” follows “Later” even though the process has already been introduced in sequence; this makes the transition into sorting less smooth. The phrase “the product” also has an unclear reference after the plastic has been compressed and crushed. More varied transitions and clearer references would make the progression more seamless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The response uses a reasonably broad range of process vocabulary, including “segregated,” “compressed,” “crush,” “pellets,” “converted,” and “recycled,” which helps describe the stages without excessive repetition. Some less common choices are not fully accurate or natural in this context: “microplastic” is not the best term for the crushed pieces, “pure plastic pellets” adds a quality not stated in the diagram, and “regularly-shaped raw materials” is an awkward description. There are also spelling errors in “seperated,” “variey,” and “cylce.” These do not prevent understanding, but greater precision in word choice and more careful spelling would strengthen the vocabulary control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

There is a useful mix of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “In order to easily mold the recycled pellets, they must be heated first” and the relative clause “which can finally be converted.” Most sentences are grammatically clear, and the sequence of actions is generally expressed with appropriate passive forms. A few constructions could be more controlled. In “a garbage truck fills the waste in its container,” the verb pattern is awkward, while “the separated plastic is compressed … to efficiently crush them” shifts from singular “plastic” to plural “them.” The opening phrase “starting right from the disposal” is also less natural grammatically. Revising these patterns would preserve the range while improving accuracy.

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