The process shows the design of a modern landfill for household waste.

Same questionCompare 8 different answers (Band 5–9)

Sample Response

1

The diagram illustrates the three-stage process by which a modern landfill is constructed, operated, and eventually sealedconstructed, operated and eventually sealed for the storage of household waste.

2

Overall, the facility is engineered to contain domestic refuse while capturing liquid runoff and decomposition gases, thereby preventing contamination of the underlying natural rock. The full sequence progresses Deletefrom excavation and lining, to waste deposition, and finally site closure with gas extraction.

3

In the initial construction phase, a man-made cavity is excavated into natural rock. This hole is then lined with clay, overlaid by a synthetic liningmembrane to form an impermeable barrier. A network of drainage pipes is laid at the bottom of the pit,base of this lining, connected to a drainage tank designed to collect waste liquidliquid leachate from the stored waste.

4

Once the structure is complete, the landfill enters its useoperational stage. Lorries deliver household waste and deposit it within the lined cavity. As the waste accumulates, liquid seeps out and flows through the drainage pipes into the storage tank below.

5

In the final closure stage, once the landfill is full, the site is capped with a clay cover. As buried waste decomposes, gases are generated. These by-products are channelled away through a pipe extending deep into the wastepipes installed in the cap, allowing gases to be safely vented from the sealed landfill.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 9.0

The response provides an exceptionally clear and fully accurate description of the landfill design process, highlighting all key stages seamlessly. Logical sequencing and paragraph organization make the overview and details easy to follow. To maintain this high standard, continue using precise technical terminology and complex grammatical structures across all Task 1 prompts.

Band score breakdown

IELTS Writing Criteria Scores

TA

Task Achievement

9.0
Scoring rule

All stages and key components of the landfill diagram are fully addressed with complete accuracy and a strong overview.

Next step

Maintain this comprehensive approach by ensuring all labels and visual relationships are explicitly detailed in future diagram tasks.

CC

Coherence and Cohesion

9.0
Scoring rule

The response is organized logically into well-structured paragraphs with natural cohesive transitions between phases.

Next step

Continue using topic-based paragraphing to maintain seamless structural flow.

LR

Lexical Resource

9.0
Scoring rule

A wide, precise range of vocabulary appropriate for process descriptions is used fluently and naturally.

Next step

Sustain this high level of lexical variety by practicing domain-specific terminology for map and diagram prompts.

GRA

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

9.0
Scoring rule

Grammatical structures are varied, highly flexible, and consistently accurate throughout the entire response.

Next step

Keep utilizing diverse complex structures such as passive voice and participle clauses to ensure ongoing grammatical control.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

The process shows the design of a modern landfill for household waste.

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