Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-01

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 6.0)

The layout depicts the process of recycling plastic bottles .

Overall , there are 9 crucial steps beginning with throwing bottles in dustbin, undergoing several process and then, production of end products .

At the first , plastic bottles are collected in dustbin , in next step it is collected in truck through hydraulic machines . It is taken in recycling centre where sorting of waste is done . After that the plastic bottles are compressed in the form of blocks . The next step is crushing , the block is crushed into small pieces which are washed later . The following step is producing plastic pellets in a machine where small pieces of plastics are converted into powder . The pellets are heated to form raw materials . The last step is production of different products such as bottles , containers, pencils, recycle bags , and shirt . The whole process is now repeated in this manner .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main sequence from disposal and collection through processing to the production of new goods, and your overview correctly identifies a nine-stage cycle. Relevant details include sorting at the recycling centre, compressing and crushing the bottles, and heating pellets to make raw material. However, some stages are not fully or accurately explained: the diagram shows sorting into accepted and rejected items, but this distinction is omitted, and the description of the pellet-making stage as turning pieces into “powder” is not supported by the diagram. The raw-material stage is also mentioned without describing the material being prepared for manufacture. A more precise account of these features would make the summary more complete and clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The stages are presented in a logical order, and sequencing phrases such as “After that,” “The next step,” and “The following step” help the reader follow the process. The overview is separated from the detailed account, which gives the response a coherent overall arrangement. This already shows some flexibility in organising a process description. However, nearly all the stages are placed in one long paragraph, and the repeated use of “step” and “the next” makes the linking somewhat mechanical. The final sentence, “The whole process is now repeated in this manner,” signals the cycle but could connect more clearly to the opening stage. Use paragraphing to distinguish the overview from the process details and vary the links between stages.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a relevant range of process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressed,” “crushing,” “pellets,” and “raw materials,” so the reader can understand the main operations. The examples of final goods also show useful task-specific vocabulary. However, some word choices are imprecise or do not match the diagram: “dustbin” is less suitable than “recycling bin,” “hydraulic machines” is not shown, and “powder” does not accurately describe the plastic pellets. There are also awkward phrases such as “production of different products” and “recycle bags.” Aim for precise nouns and natural collocations when describing each stage; this will make the account more accurate and fluent without requiring unnecessarily complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and longer structures, for example, “The next step is crushing, the block is crushed into small pieces which are washed later.” This gives some variety, and the sequence remains understandable despite grammatical errors. However, several sentences contain problems with articles, agreement, or sentence boundaries. For instance, “At the first” and “in next step” use incorrect article patterns, while “it is collected in truck” has an article omission. The sentence joining “The next step is crushing” to “the block is crushed” needs clearer punctuation or a conjunction. There are also inconsistent singular and plural forms, as in “raw materials.” Check articles and sentence boundaries, and use a consistent structure when describing each stage.

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