Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The diagram provides information about nine stages of plastic bottles recycling process.

First of all, the plastic bottles are collected manually from recycle bin. Loaded it into the vehicle which are using for transportation of recycling materials. In the third stage they bring these bottles to recycling centre and sort them in correct way. The fourth stage contain on compression of these bottles into blocks. These blocks are then crushed and the particles of these crushed blocks are putted in liquid for washing purpose. After this, the sixth stage comes which contain on production of plastic pellets. The plastic pellets are then heated to convert them into raw metarial which is seven stage of this process. And following this stage the raw materials are now ready in 8th stage. Then finally in the last ninth stage the process of recycling is completed and new products are produced by raw metarials. Similary again these products will follow this process continuesly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the process as involving nine stages and include several key steps, such as sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. However, the account is largely a sequence of stage-by-stage details rather than a clear summary of the main features. The overview is weak: “the process of recycling is completed” does not explain that the diagram forms a loop, and the final sentence only vaguely says the products follow the process again. Some details are also inaccurate or unclear, including saying bottles are “collected manually” and that the products themselves follow the process, rather than explaining that end products can re-enter recycling. To improve, give a concise overview of the circular process and describe the input, transformation stages and range of outputs accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The stages are presented in a generally understandable order, and sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “After this,” and “Then finally” help the reader follow the process. This gives the response some overall organisation. However, it is written as one paragraph, and the repeated stage-by-stage framing makes the progression feel mechanical. Connections between ideas are sometimes unclear: “Loaded it into the vehicle” has no clear grammatical subject, while “following this stage the raw materials are now ready in 8th stage” repeats information without clarifying the transition. Use a separate overview and a body paragraph, and connect stages through the materials being transformed—for example, explain that washed plastic is made into pellets, which are then heated into raw material.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “compression,” “crushed,” “washing,” “plastic pellets,” and “raw material,” so the reader can recognise many of the stages. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “collected manually from recycle bin,” “putted in liquid,” and “completed” for a process that continues in a loop. There are also spelling errors in “metarial,” “metarials,” and “continuesly,” which reduce precision. Aim for accurate, natural process language and avoid repeating “stage” when a clear verb can describe the change. For example, say bottles are sorted, compressed into blocks, crushed and washed, then processed into pellets.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts some longer sentences and uses passive forms, as in “These blocks are then crushed,” which is appropriate for describing a process. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make several sentences awkward or unclear. “Loaded it into the vehicle” is a fragment, “the fourth stage contain” has subject–verb disagreement, and “which are using for transportation” has an incorrect verb construction. Other examples include “the sixth stage comes which contain on production” and “the raw materials are now ready in 8th stage,” where sentence structure and articles are not controlled. Practise forming complete passive sentences with consistent present tense, such as “The bottles are transported to a recycling centre, where they are sorted.”

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