Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-30

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 illustrate and shows the process for recycling plastic bottles .

Overall , we trough the plastic in garbage box then they go for recycling in recyclingb center there are many procedure and in the end they change into many products like pencil.

To commence with , firstly people through the plastic bottles in to recycle box then truck was come and pick the grabage go to recycle center , then the plastic was sorting at the fourth the plastic was compresing into blocks .

On the other hand , the blocks are crushing into the machine and washing into the water then they go for next step where he put plastic into machine where the plastic pallets was produce , in next step they go for heating then he change into raw material in the final step they change in many products like pencil , bottels and many other things .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the subject and give a basic overview, noting that bottles are collected, processed and turned into products such as pencils. You also report several central stages, including sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. However, the account is only partly complete: the sorting stage is incorrectly called “the fourth,” and the final products are mentioned without explaining that the raw material is used to make them. The overview also says the bottles go into a “garbage box,” which does not clearly convey the recycling bin shown. To strengthen the response, describe the full sequence accurately and make clear that the process loops back when recycled products are used and bottles are discarded again.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an overall beginning, overview and process description, and sequencing words such as “firstly,” “then,” “in next step” and “in the final step” help the reader follow the stages. However, progression is sometimes difficult to track because several stages are packed into long sentences, and the paragraph beginning “On the other hand” does not present a contrast. References such as “they” and “he” are unclear, since the process involves bottles and machinery rather than a person at those later stages. Organise the stages into clearer groups, use transitions that show sequence rather than contrast, and name the material or machine instead of relying on vague pronouns.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “recycling,” “sorting,” “blocks,” “washing,” “raw material” and “products,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation and spelling problems make parts less clear: “garbage box,” “recyclingb center,” “pallets” for pellets, and “through” where “throw” is intended. Repetition of “plastic,” “then” and “change” also limits precision. Build a more accurate set of process terms and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish “plastic pellets” from “pallets” and use verbs such as “are converted” to describe the transformation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect stages in longer sentences, but the response relies mainly on simple clauses joined by “then,” and many sentences contain errors in verb form, agreement, articles or sentence construction. For example, “The diagram illustrate and shows” has incorrect subject–verb agreement and duplicated verbs, while “truck was come and pick” uses an incorrect verb form. Passive forms are appropriate for describing a process, but “the plastic was sorting” and “the plastic pallets was produce” are not correctly formed. Practise accurate present-simple passive structures, such as “the bottles are sorted” and “the pellets are produced,” and separate long sequences into complete sentences with consistent tense and punctuation.

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