Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-13

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 5.0)

The given picture illustrate the procedure of recycling of plastic bottles from used materials. which is not use in homes or office again such as disposable glasses, plates, and plastic bags. The first step of recycling is collection of used stuff from garbage and then send it to recycling center through the small vehicles such as truck.Where few people will sort and seperate unuseful things from the whole material. After that they wash whole raw metrail in washer then put all things in compression machine which compress and make one large square box for further process later on that block send for crushing machine two wheel crush whole material into small pieces than keep in water for softness then put into a huge machine which produce plastic pellets, these pelletes heated and form raw material again at 8 stage raw material is ready for making the products such as water bottles, clothes, bags, and disposable lunch boxes this process will repeat again and again

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the broad sequence from collection through processing to new products, and you recognise that the process is cyclical. However, several important details are inaccurate or unclear, so the task is only partly covered. The diagram shows sorting at the recycling centre before bottles are compressed; your account places washing before compression and describes the material as raw material at the start. It also shows crushing followed by washing, then pellet production, heating, and raw material. Your examples of disposable glasses and plates as the original waste are not shown, while the final products include pencils, which you omit. Give a clear overview and report the stages in their depicted order, without adding unsupported details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable chronological sequence, using markers such as “The first step,” “After that,” and “then,” and it ends by noting that the process repeats. These features help the reader follow the general idea. However, nearly all the information is packed into one long paragraph and several stages run together, making the progression difficult to track. The sequence also becomes confusing around washing, compression, and crushing. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the detailed stages, and connect each stage clearly with accurate sequencing language. Full stops between steps and clearer references to the material being processed would make the account easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “collection,” “sort,” “compression machine,” “crushing,” and “plastic pellets,” which allows the reader to understand the general topic. However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate, such as “unuseful things,” “whole raw metrail,” and “pelletes.” Some expressions are also imprecise for a process diagram: “two wheel crush” does not clearly describe the crushing equipment, and “for softness” does not accurately convey washing. Aim for precise process terms and check spelling and word forms. For example, describe bottles as being sorted, compressed into blocks, crushed into pieces, washed, and processed into pellets.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to describe a sequence using clauses linked by “then,” “which,” and “after that,” but sentence structures are often faulty or incomplete, and errors sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. For example, “The given picture illustrate” has subject–verb disagreement, while “which is not use in homes or office again” is an incomplete and confusing clause. The long sentence beginning “After that they wash…” contains several actions without clear sentence boundaries. Articles, plurals, verb forms, and punctuation also need attention. Use a consistent present simple or passive form, such as “The bottles are collected and taken to a recycling centre,” and divide the process into shorter, complete sentences.

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