Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-04

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 procedure of recycling plastic bottles, it consists of variety of stages before getting the desired product. The whole procedure comprised of nine steps.

Overall, rubbish is taken by garbage truck and then it goes through recycling procedure, futhermore, it is then crushed and gets washed before producing pellets. Moreover, pellets are heated to form raw materials which are then transformed into reusable items.

Firstly, bottles are removed from the recycling bins, they are then transported to rubbish trucks. Consequently, these bottles are taken into recycling centre where they are sorted. After sorting these recycled items are compressed into blocks, and afterwards they are crushed into small pieces.

Crushed items are washed thoroughly to obtain plastic pellets which are then heated to extract raw materials. When raw materials are obtained they are converted into multiple products such as plastic containers, reusable bags, stationer items and shirts etc.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response covers the main stages accurately, from collection and sorting through compression, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating to the creation of end products. The overview identifies the nine-step process and summarises the transformation from bottles into reusable items, giving the reader a clear account of its main features. The examples of final products are also broadly consistent with the diagram, although “stationer items” is imprecise. Some details are less fully reported: the sorting stage’s separation into accepted and rejected bottles is omitted, as is the loop in which end products can return to the recycling bin. Including these features would make the account more complete and precise while retaining its clear coverage of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response is arranged in a clear sequence: an introduction and overview are followed by the collection and processing stages, then the final products. This progression is easy to follow, and connectors such as “Firstly,” “After sorting,” and “When raw materials are obtained” help signal the order. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the main stages are grouped sensibly. However, some linking is mechanical or imprecise: “Moreover” and “furthermore” add little to the overview, while “Consequently” does not clearly express the relationship between transport and arrival at the centre. The opening sentence also joins two independent clauses with only a comma, which slightly disrupts flow. More precise transitions and clearer links between stages would strengthen cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range of process vocabulary, including “transported,” “sorted,” “compressed,” “crushed,” and “converted,” which helps describe the sequence without excessive repetition. The response also attempts more specific terms such as “raw materials” and “reusable items.” However, some choices are inaccurate or awkward for this diagram: “rubbish” and “garbage truck” are less precise than “plastic bottles” and “collection truck,” while “extract raw materials” does not naturally describe heating pellets to form material. “Stationer items” is an incorrect form, and “etc.” is vague in a formal report. More precise process collocations and careful word forms would improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including passive forms such as “are compressed” and “are washed,” which suit a process description. Most stages remain understandable, and the writer attempts to connect clauses using time and sequence expressions. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. The opening sentence joins two complete clauses with a comma: “The diagram illustrates …, it consists …”; these should be separated or joined with a suitable conjunction. “The whole procedure comprised of nine steps” has an incorrect verb pattern, and “before producing pellets” leaves the implied subject unclear. The sentence beginning “Firstly” also uses a comma splice. Improving clause boundaries and checking verb patterns would make the description more accurate.

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