Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-19

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 illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles in the 9 steps which starts from throwing bottles in trash to producing the final products.

To begin with, at first the bootles are been collected in the trash box and than, a trash collection vehicle collects the trash and provide it to the recycling centre for sorting . Afterwards, the bottles are kept for compressing into blocks.

According to the figure, after the compressing process the bootles are into the crushing process and is being washed. In addition producing plastic pellets process is started only after the completion of crushing and washing process . like wise, the heating pellets process are being started to from raw material.

overall, it is cleared that only after heating pellets the raw materials are collected and then , the final process of manufacturing products will start and this is how the products are manufactured.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the topic and convey several central stages, including collection, sorting, compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. The sequence is mostly recognisable, and you note that heating produces raw material before manufacturing. However, the account is only partial: it omits the final products shown (such as containers, clothing and bags) and the arrows returning from production to the start, which make this a closed loop. The opening also says bottles go into “trash,” although the diagram shows a recycling bin, and the overview does not clearly summarise the full cycle. To develop the response further, describe the loop and its endpoint-to-start connection, and report the end products rather than referring generally to “products.”

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic paragraph structure, and sequencing expressions such as “To begin with,” “Afterwards,” and “after” help the reader follow the main stages. The order is generally logical from collection through processing to raw material. However, progression becomes less clear in the final paragraph: “overall” introduces a conclusion that largely repeats the preceding information, while the return arrow and end products are not integrated into the account. Some linking is mechanical or awkward, particularly “According to the figure” and “In addition,” where a direct stage-to-stage connection would be clearer. Organise the process into a clear beginning, processing sequence and completed cycle, using references such as “this material” to connect stages without repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressing,” “crushing,” “washing,” “pellets” and “raw material,” so the reader can identify the main operations. However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or repetitive: “trash” is used for bottles placed in a recycling bin, and “products are manufactured” repeats the general idea without naming the outputs. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “bootles,” “than” and “from” where “form” is intended. These reduce precision, although the main meaning remains understandable. Build a more accurate process vocabulary and use specific nouns for the outputs, such as containers, clothing and carrier bags.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentences, including a sequence joined with “after” and “and,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in verb forms and agreement: “the bottles are been collected,” “the process are being started,” and “the bottles are into the crushing process.” The sentence beginning “To begin with, at first” also has an unclear structure, and punctuation is unreliable, with spaces before full stops and a lower-case “like wise” after a full stop. These problems sometimes make the process relationships difficult to follow. Practise accurate passive forms for describing stages—for example, “the bottles are collected” and “the pellets are heated”—and check subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries.

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