Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-16

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 6.5)

The diagram outlines the initial and the final stages of the recycling process of plastic bottles.

Overall, the recycling cycle consists of nine stages. Begining with the dumping of bottles in a garbage box and ending with the production of clothes, stationery and storage boxes.

In the initial phases, bottles are dumped into a garbage box which are then collected by a truck. The collected bottles are then taken to the recycling centre where they are sorted and compressed into blocks.

In the later stages, the process of crushing starts, which crushes the compressed boxes. The crushed particles are collected in a water container, where they are washed. After washing the particles, they are passed through a machine which produces plastic pellets. The obtained pellets are then heated where they are converted in a form of raw material. The raw materials are then assembled on a rack which are later used for the production of different household products, clothes and even stationeries. These are the end products of recycled plastic bottles, which are then used by the consumers'.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response gives a clear account of the main stages and includes an overview identifying a nine-stage cycle, from depositing bottles to making new products. Most details match the diagram: collection, sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating and conversion into raw material are all covered. The final products are also summarised, although “clothes, stationery and storage boxes” is not fully precise: the diagram shows a T-shirt, pencils and food containers, among other items. The overview could more clearly highlight that the recycled material returns to consumer products and the cycle begins again. Overall, the task is addressed clearly, with the main process explained, though a few details are generalised or slightly misidentified.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised into an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs that move from the early stages to the later stages. This gives the reader a clear progression through the process, and sequencing phrases such as “In the initial phases” and “In the later stages” help orient the description. Linking words including “then,” “where” and “After washing” are used to connect steps. However, the overview’s sentence beginning “Begining with” is a fragment, which interrupts the flow, and the final sentence about consumers does not explicitly connect back to the cycle’s return to the first stage. More varied, precise transitions and clearer links between the overview and the closed loop would make the organisation more seamless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “sorted,” “compressed,” “crushing,” “particles,” “pellets” and “raw material.” These terms allow the stages to be distinguished and the meaning remains clear. Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however: “garbage box” is less suitable than “recycling bin,” “compressed boxes” misnames the plastic blocks, and “assembled on a rack” does not accurately describe the raw material shown on a pallet. “Stationeries” is also not the natural form when referring to items such as pencils. These examples show that vocabulary is sufficient for the task but not consistently precise in collocation and word form. Aim to use the diagram’s labels and familiar process collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including relative clauses (“which are then collected by a truck”) and time clauses (“After washing the particles…”). Most stages are expressed in a clear sequence, and errors rarely prevent understanding. Some grammatical problems remain. The overview sentence “Begining with … and ending with …” is not a complete sentence, and “bottles … which are then collected” has unclear agreement because “which” refers to the plural bottles but the construction is awkward. In “the raw materials are then assembled … which are later used,” the relative clause has an unclear antecedent and agreement. There are also inconsistent article and preposition patterns, as in “converted in a form of raw material.” More consistently complete sentences and clearer reference would improve accuracy.

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