Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many countries, people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could.
Why do you think this is?
What can be done to change this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
In this fast paced life, individuals don't pay enough attention on reusable things as they need to have. As my perspective, numerous reasons behind this behavior and people as well as government play effective role to change this as a whole. Before concluding, I would discuss reasons and suggestions in upcoming paragraphs.
According to working masses, they have no time to think about the things which they should use second time after spending numbers of hours in office. Apart from this, significant percentage of people have no knowledge about recycling process . As a result, they use things as their routine ways and throw into the bines.
For revolution, first of all, we have to work on knowledge. Government authorities have to come on front foot through camping and cleaning centers. Government should need people who have information about recycle stuff so they can share that in public. Additionally, government have to hire folks to clean and seperate reuse things when they collect garbage form society. Government should open factories in every cities, which use rubbish in productive ways.
In conclusion, knowledge plays a vital role in recycling, thus both people and government have
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 194 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both parts of the prompt—reasons for low recycling and potential solutions—the ideas are underdeveloped. For instance, the suggestion to 'work on knowledge' is vague, and the conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence. To improve, you must expand on your points with specific examples or detailed explanations to ensure the task is fully addressed. The current length prevents a thorough exploration of the topic, which is necessary for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the incomplete ending. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Apart from this' and 'Additionally', the flow is sometimes mechanical. Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is unfinished, which disrupts the overall coherence. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that you complete your thoughts fully before moving to the next section. Using a wider variety of linking words would also help to connect your ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'working masses' and 'clean and separate reuse things'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'come on front foot' and 'camping' (likely meant 'campaigning'). To improve, focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to environmental issues and waste management. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic and precise terms will help you convey your ideas more effectively and professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'don't pay enough attention on reusable things as they need to have' and 'Government should need people'. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, and try to incorporate more varied sentence structures with greater accuracy.
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.