Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-14

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 process how plastic bottles recycled.

Overall, there are nine process in recycling the plastic bottles from collecting the used bottles from trash to create a new products to use again.

In the first step public drop used bottles into community garbage collecting points than waste material collecting vehicles collecte the bottels and transport to the recycle centres for sorting. The main process of give them a new life to used water bottle start from here, worker sort the bottles according to predefined standards.

In forth step sorted bottles compressed in block form to supply to factories. In next process these bottel blocks crushed in smaller pecies and washed for next process. After crushing move to producing plastic pellets and in next sept these pellets heated and packed a raw material for new procuts, just like new bottles, shirts, stationary items and more. This is the full process of converting usless trush into valuable items, every setp have its on importance but sorting the plastic bottles by hand is difficulte and time consuming process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages in a generally accurate sequence, from bottles being collected and sorted through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. The overview also recognises that the process turns used bottles into products for reuse. However, some important details are incomplete or unclear: the diagram shows the finished raw material being used to produce several end products, then the cycle returning to the recycling bin, but your account does not clearly describe this final production-and-return stage. The comment that hand-sorting is difficult and time-consuming is not shown in the diagram and is not needed for a process summary. To strengthen the response, report the complete closed loop and keep the description focused on visible stages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by stages in roughly chronological order. Paragraphing helps distinguish the summary from the detailed account, and sequencing phrases such as “In the first step” and “In next process” guide the reader. However, some links are mechanical or unclear, and the final sentence shifts from describing the diagram to an unsupported comment about sorting. The transition from pellets to raw material and then to end products is compressed into one sentence, making the sequence harder to follow. Use a consistent set of stage markers and separate the final stages, including the return arrow, so the progression is complete and easy to track.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “washed,” “pellets” and “raw material,” which makes the topic recognisable. However, the range and control are limited by repeated general wording such as “process” and “new,” as well as inaccurate or misspelled forms such as “bottels,” “pecies,” “usless” and “trush.” Some combinations are also unnatural, for example “community garbage collecting points” and “packed a raw material.” These errors sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Build a more precise set of recycling terms and check spelling and collocation; for instance, describe bottles being placed in recycling bins and pellets being heated to produce raw material.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, and the sequence is usually understandable. However, errors in verb forms, articles, agreement and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some parts difficult to read. For example, “the process how plastic bottles recycled” needs a grammatical clause such as “the process by which plastic bottles are recycled,” while “there are nine process” requires a plural noun. In “public drop used bottles,” the verb form and article are missing, and “these pellets heated” needs a passive verb form. Practise accurate passive constructions, which are especially useful for process diagrams, and check each sentence for a subject, a correctly formed verb and appropriate singular or plural forms.

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.