Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-17

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 beneath illustrates the procedure for recycling plastic bottles.

Overall, There are many steps for recycling plastic bottles. all the process people do and make new things such bottles, pencil, and shirts.Moreover, Machines involve in some steps.

First of all, when people drink bottles and was threw in dust bin then a men fetch all bottles in a recycling centre. A person distinguish all the bottles which bottle is correct then all correct bottles are separated from damage bottles. All bottles are compressed and given shaped into blocks. Furthermore, Machines are involved in next step. All the bottles are crush throughout the machine then raw material fall in the water. Bottes are converted in shape of raw material. Next machine provide heat of the raw material then raw material was put in pallets then raw material add a new a product which they want. Again people use the product then throw in the dust bin.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject and give a broad account of the cycle, including collection, sorting, compression, crushing, heating and the creation of new products. The overview also recognises that the process repeats. However, several important stages are omitted or inaccurately described: washing is presented as bottles falling into water, and the production of plastic pellets and the raw-material stage are not clearly explained. The sorting decision is also reduced to whether bottles are “correct” or “damage,” rather than separating recyclable from unsuitable bottles. The overview is vague (“many steps”) and does not clearly summarise the main transformation from discarded bottles into material for new products. More precise coverage of the stages would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall sequence, moving from disposal and collection through processing to reuse, and phrases such as “First of all,” “Furthermore,” and “Next” help signal progression. The final sentence also returns to the start of the cycle. However, the paragraphing is limited, and the overview is difficult to follow because it combines several ideas in a run-on sequence: “all the process people do and make new things…” Some links between stages are unclear, particularly the transition from washing to raw material and then to products. Use a separate overview and organise the process into clear stages, with accurate linking expressions such as “After sorting” and “Once the pellets are heated.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “recycling centre,” “compressed,” “blocks,” “machine,” and “raw material,” so the topic is generally identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the process hard to understand. For example, “a men fetch all bottles” and “a person distinguish” do not describe the collection and sorting stages naturally; “bottles are crush” also uses an unsuitable form. “Dust bin” is less precise than “recycling bin,” while “pallets” appears to be confused with pellets. Aim for accurate process terms and collocations, and check spelling and word forms. This would make the description clearer and more appropriate for an academic process report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

There are attempts to connect ideas in longer sentences, but control of sentence structure and verb forms is inconsistent. Examples include “when people drink bottles and was threw,” “a person distinguish,” and “All the bottles are crush,” where tense, agreement, and passive forms are faulty. The overview also contains a sentence fragment and run-on punctuation: “all the process people do and make new things such bottles, pencil, and shirts.Moreover…” Articles and plurals are also unreliable. These errors sometimes make relationships between stages unclear. Practise using the present simple passive for process descriptions—for example, “The bottles are collected, sorted and compressed”—and separate complete sentences with accurate punctuation.

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