Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-03

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 processing diagram illustrates the process of recycying plastic bottles. which can be completed with in 10 steps.

Started with disposing the waste bottles into the dustbin.Then collecting the waste through arbadge truck and sent to the recycling center for sorting purpose. After that, the selected metrial transformed into compressing blocks.

Moreover, the blocks put into crushing machine for dividing it into small particals. Then it can be washed in a tank before sending into further process, which is producing plastic pellets. Furthermore, the plastic particals re transformed into raw material after heating process through heating pellets. Subsequently, the waste bottles completely transformed into large plastic sheets, which are finely used in factories for producing different type products.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the general subject and report several stages in the correct order, including sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. However, the response only partially covers the diagram: it omits the recycling truck’s role, the sorting of suitable versus unsuitable bottles, the raw-material stage, and the production of specific end products. The claim that the material becomes “large plastic sheets” is not supported by the diagram, which shows raw material being used to make items such as containers, clothing and pencils. There is also no clear overview of the complete recycling loop. The response is 118 words, below the required 150, so the process is not described in enough detail. Include an overview and accurately cover the stages through to the return loop.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are generally presented in a sensible sequence, and linking expressions such as “After that,” “Moreover,” “Then,” and “Subsequently” help the reader follow the process. This gives the response an overall coherent arrangement. However, the connectors are somewhat mechanical, and the paragraphing does not clearly distinguish an overview from the detailed stages. Some links between ideas are also unclear: for example, “Furthermore” introduces heating, while the relationship between the resulting raw material and the final products is not explained accurately. The final sentence compresses several stages into one broad claim. Organise the response into an overview and a chronological description, and use clearer references to show how each stage leads to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant process vocabulary, including “sorting,” “compressing,” “crushing,” “washed,” “pellets” and “heating,” which helps communicate the main sequence. However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, as in “recycying,” “arbadge,” “metrial” and “particals.” Several expressions are also imprecise or unnatural: “dustbin” is less suitable than “recycling bin” here, “for sorting purpose” is awkward, and “finely used” does not clearly express that the material is used to manufacture products. The phrase “large plastic sheets” introduces an inaccurate description rather than a precise process term. Use accurate labels from the diagram and check spelling and collocations; this would make the vocabulary more reliable and easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to show sequence through several sentence forms, including “After that, the selected material transformed…” and “Then it can be washed…”. However, many clauses are incomplete or have faulty verb forms. “Started with disposing…” has no clear subject, while “the selected material transformed” needs a passive form such as “was transformed.” The opening also has an incorrect sentence break in “bottles. which,” and “Then collecting…” is a fragment rather than a complete clause. Other problems include missing articles and awkward constructions, as in “put into crushing machine” and “after heating process.” These errors sometimes make relationships between stages difficult to follow. Practise complete passive sentences for process descriptions and check tense, articles, and punctuation.

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.