Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-19

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)

Waste management has been an important factor for a developing countries, however, it is seen nationalists of some countries are not aware of the management of rubbish. Hence, the recycling done is limited. I personally believe that due to no strict policies and being unaware of the waste management procedures results in failing the quantity of recycled products.

Recycling has done enormous contribution to the management of waste products, therefore it is important to educate people on the disadvantages of rubbish thrown away without being managed. Typically, uneducated people think that its not their role to clean or recycle products which in fact has resulted in poor quality of life including rising pollution, increase in the spread of harmful diseases due to waste and many more.

Initiatives can be taken in order to reduce the waste thrown in the pits. For instance, At first, strict policies should be amended followed by proper execution of the policy. Secondly, podcasts on green environment and waste management should be encouraged. Moreover, the rules of 5Rs should be taught in the schools where kids will know the merits of reducing the waste or reusing it or even recycling it.

Apart from these solutions, individual societies must conduct welfare meetings and organize social activities in which individuals learn the benefits of recycling materials. Furthermore, introduction of variety of dustbins labelling the correct order to throw the garbage can be introduced at various places such as at Shopping centres, schools, societies, offices and so on.

To sum up, proper steps must be taken in order to reduce the waste getting dumped without proper procedures. Although it may take some time in order to teach people the right way but eventually it will be on track if monitored on regular intervals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, while you mention 'strict policies' and 'podcasts' as solutions, these points could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The introduction is slightly confusing due to the phrasing 'failing the quantity of recycled products', which is not idiomatic. To improve, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, well-supported argument rather than a list of suggestions. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the depth of explanation is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Hence', 'For instance', 'Secondly', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced, such as 'At first, strict policies should be amended followed by proper execution'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the opening sentence where the connection between 'developing countries' and the subsequent claim about 'nationalists' is vague. Improving the flow between sentences would help the essay read more naturally and coherently.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'waste management', 'initiatives', and 'merits'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors that hinder precision. For example, 'nationalists of some countries' is an incorrect use of the word 'nationalists' in this context (likely meaning 'citizens' or 'residents'). The phrase 'failing the quantity of recycled products' is also non-standard. To improve, focus on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—and ensure you are using vocabulary that accurately reflects the intended meaning rather than just attempting to use complex-sounding words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'Recycling has done enormous contribution' (should be 'has made an enormous contribution'), 'uneducated people think that its not their role' (missing apostrophe in 'it's'), and 'the waste getting dumped' (slightly informal). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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