Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-05

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 given illustrates the recycling process of plastic bottles.

Overall, there are nine stages conducted starting from trashing the plastic bottles into the bins to production of new products and continuing again from tashing.

The process starts with trashing used plastic bottles into waste containers, further they are carried to recycling centre where they are sorted. After that, plastic bottles are compressed into blocks, then crushed to produce tiny materials, further they fall into container where they are washed.

In the next stage, they are sent into the machine to produce plastic pellets, which is further heated to form raw material. In the final stages, raw material is used to create bricks. Finally, various types of end products are produced using the raw material.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the process as a cycle and report several key stages, including sorting, compressing, crushing, washing, pellet production and heating. However, the overview is imprecise: “continuing again from tashing” does not clearly explain that end products feed back into the recycling process. There is also a factual error when you say the raw material is used to “create bricks”; the diagram shows it being used to produce various end products, such as containers, clothing and pencils. The response is also below the required 150 words, which limits how fully you can describe the stages and the loop. To strengthen the report, clarify the cycle in the overview and accurately describe the final products and return to the first stage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The stages are presented in a generally logical order, and the paragraphing separates the overview from the process details. Sequencing phrases such as “After that,” “In the next stage” and “In the final stages” help the reader follow the sequence. However, several transitions feel mechanical, and the long second paragraph groups many stages together without clear internal organisation. The reference “they” in “they are sent into the machine” is not fully precise, since it could refer to bottles, materials or pieces. The overview’s phrase “continuing again from tashing” also makes the cycle difficult to follow. Use clearer stage groupings and explicit references, for example, “the washed plastic is processed into pellets,” to make progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant process vocabulary, including “sorted,” “compressed,” “crushed,” “washed,” “plastic pellets” and “raw material,” which allows the main stages to be understood. However, some choices are inaccurate or unnatural for this diagram. “Trashing” is not an appropriate description of placing bottles in a recycling bin, and “waste containers” may suggest general rubbish rather than recycling bins. “Tiny materials” is vague for the crushed plastic, while “create bricks” misrepresents the products shown. There is also a spelling error in “tashing.” Aim for precise process terms and avoid repeating broad words such as “produce” and “products” where a specific description is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and some attempts at more complex structures, such as “which is further heated to form raw material.” Most of the process remains understandable, but some sentence constructions are awkward or incomplete in their relationships. For example, “Overall, there are nine stages conducted starting from…” uses an unnatural passive construction, and “After that, plastic bottles are compressed into blocks, then crushed…” would be clearer with a more controlled parallel structure. The sentence beginning “The process starts with…” also joins stages using “further” in a way that makes the grammatical connection unclear. Practise forming accurate complex sentences with clear subjects and consistent passive forms, which suit process descriptions well.

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