Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-18

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 6.0)

The processing diagram illustrates the cyclic steps that how plastic bottles being used to make plastic goods such as plastic containers, pens, re-useable bags, T-shirts etc.

Overall, there are 9 cyclic steps to process these plastic goods from abadoned plastic bottles.

First of all, the process starts of by collecting plastic trash from trash bin. After that, a trash van transport these trash to a recycling factory. Then, these trash are sorted manually by a worker and plastic bottles are put into a separate container. After sorting all plastic bottles are compresed and the bottles turned into a big cube shaped block.

This block is being crushed by a crushing machine and it becomes the small plastic particles. The particles are washed by some liquid and habe been gone through a machine to male plastic pellets. The pallets are heated to make plastic raw material. Finaaly, plastic goods like bottles, containers, pens, bags are made bu these raw materials. After using these products these are trashed and the cycle goes on.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You cover the main stages and give an overview that identifies the process as cyclical, which is an important feature. The sequence from collection and sorting through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating is mostly accurate, and you mention several end products. This is a solid account of the process, though some details are less fully reported: for example, sorting separates suitable bottles from rejected items, and the diagram shows the finished products feeding back into the cycle. “After using these products these are trashed” conveys the loop, but could describe the return to the recycling bin more precisely. To strengthen the response, report the sorting decision and the final return stage explicitly, while keeping the overview focused on the full cycle.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction and overview are followed by the stages in sequence, with a final sentence returning to the cycle. Sequencing expressions such as “First of all,” “After that,” “Then,” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. This logical progression is effective, although the repeated use of simple time markers makes cohesion somewhat mechanical. Some references are also unclear, particularly “these trash” and “these products these are trashed,” where the reader must infer the intended subject. Grouping the stages into more clearly defined paragraphs and using precise references such as “the bottles,” “the pellets,” and “the finished goods” would make the progression smoother and more controlled.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorted,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “particles,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” so the reader can understand the main transformations. However, the range is limited by repeated informal terms such as “trash” and “goods,” and several word-choice, collocation, or spelling errors are noticeable: “trash van,” “male plastic pellets,” “pallets” for “pellets,” and “re-useable.” These errors sometimes make the description less clear or precise. Aim for more consistent technical wording and check spelling carefully. For example, describe the collection vehicle as a “recycling truck,” the output as “plastic products,” and the material as “plastic flakes” after crushing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a passive construction in “The particles are washed” and a sequence joined with “After that” and “Then.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences awkward or difficult to process. Examples include “the steps that how plastic bottles being used,” “a trash van transport these trash,” and “After using these products these are trashed,” which show problems with clause structure, verb forms, agreement, and punctuation. There are also inconsistent passive forms, such as “is being crushed” followed by “it becomes.” Practise forming accurate passive sentences for process descriptions and use full stops or commas to separate clauses clearly.

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