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 a long process about nine steps for recycling plastic bottoles.

Overall, the hole proces started with throwing plastic bottols to the bins and then the plastic bottols went under a long proces finally it truned into products.

It can be observed that the first step was throwing plastic bottols to the bins and then lory collected them and pass them to recycling centre for sorting. After that the bottols compressed into blocks and then the bottols was crushing with cutter. Eventually, the bottols truned into small pices and then washed them with water. After that these small pices would be used for continuing the full proces.

The small pices of the bottles then used for producing plastic pellets and then these pellets was heaing for forming raw material. After that the raw material used for making beautiful cloths and products. And then after using these products they may throw it in bins. Therefor these proceses always continue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a cycle and describe several key stages, including collection, sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. The overview also correctly notes that the process returns to the bins. However, some important details are incomplete or inaccurate: the diagram shows sorting into accepted and rejected items, and the final products include bottles, food containers, a T-shirt, pencils and a carrier bag, rather than only “beautiful cloths and products.” The account also says the bottles are crushed “with cutter,” which does not clearly represent the machinery shown. To make the report more complete, describe the raw material stage and the range of end products precisely, while keeping the overview focused on the main cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall sequence, and paragraphing separates the opening overview from the stage-by-stage account. Linking expressions such as “After that,” “Eventually” and “And then” help show order. However, progression is sometimes repetitive and mechanical, with “After that” used several times, and the second paragraph ends vaguely with “continuing the full proces” rather than clearly connecting washing to pellet production. References such as “these products” and “they” are not always precise, making the cycle harder to follow. Group the stages into clearer phases—collection and sorting, processing, then manufacture and return—and use more varied links and explicit references to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed into blocks,” “plastic pellets” and “raw material,” so the reader can recognise the main stages. However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or informal, such as “beautiful cloths,” “cutter” and “throwing … to the bins.” Repeated use of “bottols” and “pices,” along with misspellings such as “proces,” “truned” and “heaing,” also makes the writing less clear and less precise. Aim to use standard process terms and check spelling carefully. More accurate vocabulary for the machinery, materials and products would help you describe the diagram without relying on general words such as “products.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer sequences joined with “and then,” but the range is limited and errors occur frequently. Verb forms and agreement are often inaccurate: “the bottols was crushing,” “these pellets was heaing” and “the raw material used” need clearer passive constructions, such as “the bottles are crushed” and “the pellets are heated.” Articles and sentence structure also need attention in phrases such as “for continuing the full proces.” The final sentence shifts awkwardly between plural “products” and singular “it.” Practise describing each stage consistently in the present simple passive, and check subject–verb agreement and pronoun references when joining clauses.

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