Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-22

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 process chart illustratres the procedure of how plastic bottles are recycled?

From the first glimpse of the chart, it is abundantly clear that the waste plactic bottles are thrown in the dustbin. Then, the garbage is loaded in the garbage truck and delivered in the recycling centre. After that, all the bottles are sorted in different boxes and then, it is compressing into blocks by the help of compressing machine. Moreover, all the blocks are crushed and washed in the water.

Furthermore, after washing it produce into pellets. Then, it is ready for heating. The heating pellets are reday to form raw materials. After that, the raw materials are transformed into end products such as shirts, pencils, polythenes, bottles, tiffins and many more.

Overall, it can clearly seen that it is a nine step process. That is a very long procedure. It starts from waste bottles and then, it going through many procedures and at last it made new produts for use.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from disposal and collection through sorting, processing, and the production of new goods. The overview also identifies a nine-stage process and its movement from waste bottles to usable products. Several details are relevant, including compression, crushing, washing, and heating. However, some stages are less fully or precisely described: the diagram shows bottles being sorted into accepted and rejected groups, and the washed plastic is made into pellets before those pellets are heated to form raw material. The response does not clearly explain that the cycle returns to bottle disposal, and “dustbin” may suggest ordinary waste rather than a recycling bin. Include these key features to make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: it follows the process in sequence and separates the description from a concluding overview. Linking expressions such as “After that,” “Furthermore,” and “Overall” help the reader follow the stages. However, the repeated use of “Then” and “After that” makes the progression somewhat mechanical, and the final overview repeats the sequence rather than highlighting the circular nature of the process. Some references are also unclear, as in “after washing it produce into pellets,” where “it” does not clearly identify the material. Grouping the stages into collection and sorting, processing, and reuse—and varying the links between them—would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorted,” “compressing,” “crushed,” “pellets,” and “raw materials,” so the reader can understand the general stages. There are also attempts at more descriptive phrasing, such as “transformed into end products.” However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or informal for this report: “dustbin” does not clearly convey a recycling bin, “garbage” is repeated, and “polythenes” and “tiffins” are not suitable labels for the pictured products. Spelling errors such as “plactic,” “reday,” and “produts” also reduce precision. Use consistent, accurate terms such as “plastic bottles,” “recycling bin,” and “consumer products,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, and the sequence is generally understandable. For example, “After that, all the bottles are sorted…” uses passive voice appropriately for a process description. However, some errors in verb forms, agreement, and sentence construction remain. “It is compressing into blocks” should be “they are compressed into blocks,” while “after washing it produce into pellets” needs a clearer subject and passive form, such as “the plastic is made into pellets.” The overview also has missing grammatical elements in “it can clearly seen” and “it going through many procedures.” Aim to maintain the present simple passive consistently and check subject–verb agreement and articles when describing each stage.

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