Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

The above process diagram illustrates how plastic bottles are recycle. What steps are carried out during recycling of plastic bottles and how waste products are made useful.

overall, this diagram show step by step process of recycling in which used bottles are collected and then crush them to get raw material from it. Then raw material is used to make different daily life products.

Initially, These bottles are collected by garbage truck which led them to the recycling center. Where the bottles are inspected and useful bottles are separated. The next step is compressing of bottles to make a block from those containers. After that those blocks are passed through crushing machine and crush them into small pieces which are then transfer to a water container for a quick wash.

Later on these crushed particles are transfer to a machine to produce plastic pallets from crushed bottles. After going through machine these plastic pallets are gathered for heating process which converts these pallets into raw material. After going through all these process the raw material is now set for production of different useful products like boxes, pens, water bottles etc.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You cover the main stages accurately, from collection and sorting through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating to raw material and end products. The overview identifies the central transformation from used bottles into reusable material and products, which gives the report a clear focus. The examples of final products are relevant, although “boxes, pens, water bottles” do not fully reflect the diagram’s range, which also includes a T-shirt and carrier bag. One important feature could be made clearer: the process is a closed loop, with end products returning to the recycling-bin stage. Also, the sorting description would be more precise if it noted that unsuitable bottles are rejected. Overall, the stages are well covered, with a few details and the cyclical nature needing fuller emphasis.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response follows the process in a sensible order and uses paragraphing to separate the introduction, overview and stage-by-stage account. Sequencing expressions such as “Initially,” “The next step,” “After that” and “Later on” help the reader track the stages. This provides a coherent overall progression. However, some links are mechanical, and sentence boundaries occasionally interrupt the flow: “Where the bottles are inspected…” is a fragment following the previous sentence. The overview also says the bottles are crushed to obtain raw material, then the body explains the intervening stages, so the relationship between summary and detail could be more smoothly signposted. To strengthen cohesion, combine closely related steps into complete sentences and use a few clearer references, while retaining the chronological structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “compressing,” “crushing machine,” “water container,” “heating process” and “raw material.” These terms make the sequence understandable, and you attempt more specific wording for the stages. Some choices are imprecise or repetitive, however: “garbage truck” is less accurate than a recycling collection truck, and “plastic pallets” appears to mean plastic pellets. “Useful bottles” is also vague for describing the sorting stage, while “different daily life products” is an awkward collocation. Check spelling and word forms carefully, especially “pallets,” and choose terms that match the diagram’s labels. More precise process vocabulary and less repetition of “process” and “machine” would improve flexibility and accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex structures, including clauses with “which” and time links such as “After going through…”. The sequence remains understandable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles and sentence construction are noticeable. Examples include “how plastic bottles are recycle,” “this diagram show,” and “those crushed particles are transfer”; these should use correctly formed passive verbs, such as “are recycled,” “shows” and “are transferred.” The sentence beginning “Where the bottles are inspected” is incomplete, and “Initially, These” has incorrect capitalisation after a comma. Aim to produce complete sentences and check subject–verb agreement and passive forms, which are especially useful when describing a process. Greater control of these patterns would make the report more accurate.

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