Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The given diagram provides information about the process for recycling plastic bottels.It mainly involves 9 steps.First step involves the picking of these trash from the bins.workers collect this waste form the dustbins whiwhich are placed in every city.At the end of the process plactic is converted into items of our daily use.Plastic is then recycled and is now part of our daily routine.

First plastic is collected from the dustbins all over the cities.After that it it transported to the recycling centre on trucks.In these centers this plastic is then compressed into blocks.This plastic is then crushed and washed and now plastic pallets are produced.These pallets are then heated make raw materials.Lastly, this raw material is then converted to many products including shirts,bags,pencils and bottels.At last plastic waste material that was no longer needed for any use is converted into various use products.These products include clothing and our daily household items.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the subject as a recycling process and mention several relevant stages, including collection by truck, crushing, washing, pellet production, heating, and the creation of products such as bags and pencils. However, the account only partially covers the diagram: it omits the initial sorting stage and the compression of bottles into blocks, and it does not clearly explain that the process forms a loop, with end products leading back to the start. The overview is also unclear: “Plastic is then recycled and is now part of our daily routine” does not summarise the main stages or the cycle. To improve, give a concise overview of the complete sequence and describe each important stage accurately, including sorting and compression.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic sequence, using markers such as “First,” “After that,” and “Lastly,” so the reader can follow some of the process. However, progression is weakened by repetition and unclear organisation. The opening repeats the idea of collection, and the final sentences restate that plastic becomes useful products without adding a new stage. Some transitions are inaccurate or confusing, particularly “At last plastic waste material…” after the products have already been described. Organise the response into a brief overview followed by stages in their diagram order, and use references such as “these bottles” or “the resulting pellets” to connect ideas without repeating “plastic” so often.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “recycling centre,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “washed,” and “raw materials,” and you name examples of end products. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings reduce precision, such as “pallets” for plastic pellets, “bottels,” “plactic,” and “dustbins” where “recycling bins” would be more accurate. Phrases such as “converted to many products” and “various use products” are also awkward or unclear. Aim for precise process terms and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish “pellets” from “pallets” and use “made into a range of products” rather than “converted to many products.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer constructions, and the basic meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range is limited, and frequent errors affect clarity. Examples include the repeated words in “After that it it transported,” the missing verb in “These pallets are then heated make raw materials,” and the faulty clause “workers collect this waste form the dustbins whiwhich are placed in every city.” Sentence boundaries and spacing are also inconsistent, as in “bottels.It” and “shirts,bags.” Practise forming accurate passive sentences for processes, such as “The pellets are then heated to form raw material,” and check verb forms, articles, punctuation, and sentence boundaries.

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