Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-02

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)

This diagram illustartes the recycling process of plastic bottles. It is a linear process consisting of nine stages that begins with the collection of bottles into large bin and ends with production of products from it.

Start from the first stage, in this step all the people throw plastic wastage into the enormous dustbin labeled with recycle sign on it for recycling and reuse. Once all the material collected into it, a truck come and load all the material from container and unload it into the truck. Afterwards, all the plastic bottles are reached to the recycling centre where the workers sort all the bottles, by adding all the good condition bottles into one container (labeled with tick sign) and in other all the lefted bottles are thrown that cannot be reuse (labeled with cross sign).

Moreover, all the product is compressed into large blocks to ready for the crushing process. In this procedure, two large circular wheels with sharp edges crush all the plastic and after crushing it fell into a water container for washing. After this,the wash material passed through a machine for producing plastic pellets to make raw material by heating these pellets. In addition, raw material is used for producing end products, for instance, new bottles, boxes , pencils, t-shirts and other stuff for daily usage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You cover the main stages from putting bottles in a bin through collection, sorting, processing and making new products, and you give a relevant overview. However, calling the process “linear” misses an important feature: the diagram shows a closed loop, with end products returning to the first stage. Some details are also inaccurate or unclear. The truck collects the bottles from the bin; it does not “unload it into the truck” after the material has already been collected. The sorting description captures the tick and cross categories, but the later stages could be reported more precisely, including washing, pellet production, heating the pellets into raw material, and the return loop. A clearer overview and more accurate stage descriptions would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response is arranged in a generally logical sequence, and the paragraph break helps separate the initial collection and sorting stages from later processing. Linking expressions such as “Afterwards,” “Moreover,” and “After this” guide the reader through the process. However, the overview’s description of a “linear process” conflicts with the diagram’s circular sequence, weakening the overall organisation. Some transitions are mechanical, and references such as “it” and “all the material” are not always clear about what they refer to. The final paragraph also compresses several distinct stages into one sentence. Use a clear overview that identifies the loop, then group the stages in sequence and make each transition and reference precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of process vocabulary, including “compressed,” “crushing,” “pellets,” and “raw material,” which helps explain the diagram. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or informal: “plastic wastage,” “enormous dustbin,” “lefted bottles,” and “other stuff for daily usage” are not suitable descriptions for a formal process report. There are also spelling errors, including “illustartes,” and some repetition of “material” and “all.” Aim for precise, neutral terms and check word forms and spelling. More accurate vocabulary for the sorting and recycling stages would make the account clearer and more appropriately academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including time clauses such as “Once all the material collected into it” and a relative clause describing bottles “that cannot be reuse.” The sequence is usually understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “a truck come” needs subject–verb agreement, while “Once all the material collected” is missing an auxiliary verb. “It fell” shifts into the past tense, and “cannot be reuse” has an incorrect verb form. Articles and plurals also need attention in phrases such as “into large bin” and “all the product.” Review tense consistency and basic sentence patterns, and proofread punctuation around transitions; this will improve accuracy while preserving your attempts at complex structures.

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

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