Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-21

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 plastic bottles must be recycled to use it again to make different products by that plastic that is recycled.We must threw bottles into the waste bin instead of throwing them onto the road and other places.These bottles were then carried to the recycling centre by the help of tankers.Then in recycling centre sort it and compressed into blocks.then by help of machine crush it and washed it.After that we must produce plastic pellets by the help of machinery and then by heating these pellets we have to form the raw material. By the help of this raw materail different products can be produced.For example,by that recycled plastic we can made the bottles of plastic, different plastic bags,lunch boxes of plastic to keep our lunch and plastic glass,plastic cups and different products made by the plastic.So,by recycling the plasltic bottles we are able to use this plastic again to make different products of plastics.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response identifies the main stages in broadly correct order: bottles are collected, sorted, compressed, crushed and washed, then made into pellets and heated to produce raw material for new products. This shows a relevant understanding of the process. However, the account is only partly complete: it does not clearly describe the sorting of unsuitable bottles, and it misses the diagram’s key feature that the process forms a cycle, with end products leading back to the recycling bin. Some details are also added rather than taken from the diagram, such as “plastic glass” and “plastic cups.” To strengthen the response, give a concise overview of the complete cycle and report the pictured end products accurately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The stages are generally presented in sequence, and linking expressions such as “Then,” “After that” and “For example” help the reader follow the account. However, the response is written as one continuous paragraph, and the progression becomes repetitive: the final sentence repeats the opening idea that recycling allows plastic to be used again. Some links are awkward or unclear, including “Then in recycling centre sort it,” while repeated use of “by the help of” makes connections mechanical. Organise the response into a brief introduction and overview followed by a clearly ordered description of the stages. Use precise references and varied transitions to show how the process moves from collection through manufacture and back into recycling.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant process vocabulary, including “recycling centre,” “compressed,” “crush,” “washed,” “pellets” and “raw material,” so the basic subject is communicated. However, the range is limited and several words or phrases are repeated, particularly “plastic,” “different products” and “by the help of.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “tankers” for the collection vehicle and “plastic glass.” Spelling errors, including “materail” and “plasltic,” also reduce control. Aim for more precise terms from the diagram, such as “collection truck,” “sort,” “shred” and “finished products,” and avoid repeating the same general wording when describing the stages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to connect stages in longer sentences, but grammatical control is inconsistent and the sentence patterns are mostly simple or joined with “and” and “then.” Errors include “We must threw bottles,” “Then in recycling centre sort it,” and “we can made,” where verb forms or sentence construction are faulty. Articles and agreement are also problematic in phrases such as “the raw materail” and “different products can be produced by that plastic.” Punctuation is weak: several stages run together without spaces after full stops, and the response lacks clear sentence boundaries. Practise accurate past or present passive forms for process descriptions, for example, “The bottles are sorted and compressed,” and check verb forms, articles and punctuation in each sentence.

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