Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-20

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 for recycling of plastic bottles from garbage to making of useful product.

Overall, the process consists of nine stages in which every step is important and the Prerequisite of one and another. Initially it begins with collection of waste from garbage boxes through wastage collector vehicles however it ends with the production of daily life products like clothes, stationary products and lunchbox etc.

At first used bottles are collected from large recycle bins into garbage truck. Next then it is sorted in the recycling centre that which one can be recycled and which one cannot. Resultantly the sorted bottles are than compressed in to small blocks which is then in next step is crushed and washed side by side.

Following this in the next stage the washed tiny pieces are then produced into small plastic pellets using pellet production machine. After wards the tiny pellets pieces are heated to form raw material. Finally from raw material it is manufactured in the form of daily life products which i discussed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages in the correct order, from bottles being collected and sorted through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating, to the manufacture of new products. The overview also identifies the nine-stage process and its broad start and end points. However, the description does not clearly state that the process is a closed loop, with end products returning to the recycling-bin stage, which is a significant feature. Some details are also imprecise: the diagram shows sorting into recyclable and non-recyclable items, rather than simply “which one can be recycled,” and the final examples could be more specific. To strengthen the response, highlight the loop in the overview and report the key stages and outputs precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction and overview are followed by two paragraphs describing the stages in sequence. Sequencing expressions such as “At first,” “Next,” “Following this” and “Finally” help the reader follow the process. However, some links are mechanical or awkward, particularly “Next then” and “Resultantly,” and the phrase “which i discussed” refers back unclearly rather than naming the products. The overview also combines several ideas in a long sentence, making the progression less smooth. Use a wider but natural range of transitions, and make references explicit—for example, name the products again instead of using an unclear backward reference.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushed,” “washed,” “pellets” and “raw material,” which helps convey the stages. There is also some attempt at more specific language, such as “recycling centre” and “pellet production machine.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural: “garbage boxes,” “wastage collector vehicles,” “produced into small plastic pellets” and “daily life products.” Spelling and word-form choices such as “stationary” for “stationery” also reduce precision. Aim for standard process collocations and concise terms, such as “recycling bins,” “collection truck,” “processed into pellets” and “everyday products.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “which one can be recycled” and a time clause beginning “After wards.” The sequence is generally understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “the process consists of nine stages in which every step is important and the Prerequisite of one and another” is not a complete, well-formed construction, while “the sorted bottles are than compressed … which is then in next step is crushed” contains problems with adverb choice, agreement and clause structure. There are also errors in articles and sentence boundaries. Practise building clear passive sentences for process descriptions, such as “The bottles are compressed into blocks and then crushed and washed,” and check agreement and punctuation.

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