Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-24

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 diagram illustrates the process through which fhe plastic bottles goes through for getting recycled. Overall, the recycling process consists of nine main stages, beginning with the collection of used plastic bottles and ending with the manufacture of new products. Notably, the recycled material can be used to produce items that may subsequently be recycled again.

The process starts with people disposing the bottles in the bin. Those plastic bottles are then carried in large lorries and trucks to the recycling centres. Within those recycling centres the bottles are then sorted by hands, which are then piled and compressed into huge blocks. The comprised blocks are then crushed using the machines getting them ready for further process.The crushed recycles bottles are then used to produce the plastic pellets which are then heated to form the raw material. It is that raw material which is then used to produce the finished goods including pencils, t-shirts and others. The cycle shall continue, as the finished goods will be disposed again and will reinforce the same process.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response identifies the main sequence and gives a clear overview: it begins with bottles being put in a bin and ends with new products, while noting that the cycle can repeat. These points match the diagram and show a good grasp of its overall purpose. However, some stages are reported less fully than others. In particular, the sorting stage’s separation of suitable and unsuitable bottles is omitted, and the washing stage is not mentioned. The account also moves directly from crushing to pellet production, leaving out these details of the process. To strengthen the summary, include the key intermediate stages and describe the final products more precisely, while keeping the useful overview of the circular process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised effectively into an overview followed by a chronological account, and the sequence is easy to follow from disposal through to the production of goods. Linking expressions such as “Overall,” “The process starts,” “then,” and “The cycle shall continue” help signal progression. The final sentence also connects the products back to the beginning of the cycle. Some links are less smooth: “which are then piled” has an unclear reference, and the transition from crushing to pellet production skips the washing stage shown in the diagram. More precise referencing and a connector that introduces each distinct stage would make the progression even clearer. Overall, the organisation is logical, with cohesion generally handled flexibly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushed,” “pellets,” “raw material,” and “finished goods.” These terms help communicate the main stages, and the writer attempts more specific expressions such as “manufacture of new products.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, however: “carried in large lorries and trucks” is redundant, “sorted by hands” is unnatural, and “comprised blocks” does not clearly describe the compressed plastic. There is also a spelling slip in “fhe.” Aim for precise process language and natural collocations, and avoid using two near-synonyms where one is sufficient. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including the overview sentence with “beginning … and ending …” and the relative clause “which are then heated to form the raw material.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the plastic bottles goes” has subject–verb disagreement, while “people disposing the bottles” needs a different verb pattern. The sentence beginning “Within those recycling centres” also has an unclear relative clause, and “ready for further process” lacks an article. Punctuation is inconsistent where sentences run together, as in “further process.The crushed…”. Check agreement, verb patterns, articles, and sentence boundaries; greater accuracy across these structures would improve control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.