Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

These pictures illustrate how the plastic bottles recycled and how it produce daily living products. There are 9 stages in the diagram, from throwing the trash in the bin, to use the items made from it.

The first step is that, the waste items dumped in the large bin, and then the garbage truck picked the waste through machines in according to clean the environment. Once the sufficient amount of trash collected it is being transported to recycling centre, where the process of sorting plastic bottles began and discarded bottles that are made from other materials. After this stage, all the sorted plastic bottles put into the blocks for compression. Next, all the bottles crushed by two wheel-liked machines. At this point crushed bottles pieces dropped in the water for washing.

In order to produce plastic pellets, cleaning of particles is essential. Then, a stack of plastic pellets are get heated to form a raw material. The piles of raw material are set up on the slap to produce goods from that. The final step is that you enjoy variety of items made from plastic.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover the main sequence from disposal and collection through sorting, processing, and making products, and you identify that the diagram contains nine stages. However, the account is only partly complete: the overview does not clearly explain that the process is a closed loop, and the final return from end products to the recycling bin is omitted. Some details are also unclear or inaccurate, such as saying the truck collects waste “through machines” and that bottles are “put into the blocks for compression”; the diagram shows bottles compressed into blocks. The range of end products is reduced to “variety of items,” despite several examples being shown. A clearer overview and more precise reporting of these key features would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable chronological structure, with the stages grouped into paragraphs and signposted by phrases such as “The first step,” “After this stage,” and “Then.” This helps the reader follow much of the process. However, progression becomes less clear in places because some links are inaccurate or awkward: “In order to produce plastic pellets” suggests a purpose rather than the next stage, and “At this point” does not clearly connect the crushing and washing steps. The final paragraph also moves quickly from pellets to raw material and products without explaining the loop back to the beginning. Use straightforward sequencing consistently and make the relationship between each stage explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compression,” “crushed,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” which helps communicate the stages. There are also attempts at more specific description, such as “wheel-liked machines.” However, several choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram: “trash” and “garbage” are informal and repetitive, “slap” does not describe the pallet, and “enjoy variety of items” is not an appropriate way to report the final stage. Some phrases, including “cleaning of particles,” are also unclear. Aim for precise process terms and natural collocations, such as “plastic waste,” “a conveyor belt,” and “a range of products.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a time clause beginning “Once the sufficient amount of trash collected” and a purpose clause beginning “In order to produce plastic pellets.” However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to read. For example, “how the plastic bottles recycled” needs a passive verb form, while “the garbage truck picked the waste” shifts into an unsuitable past tense. “A stack of plastic pellets are get heated” has problems with agreement and verb form, and “all the sorted plastic bottles put into the blocks” is missing a passive auxiliary. Practise forming accurate passive sentences, which are especially useful for describing processes, and check each sentence for a complete verb phrase.

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.