Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-04
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 various nations, forks think that their household waste is not needed to be recycled . Though, there are several reasons behind it, but the first one is lack of education about recycling benefits.Another reason is less resources availability.
Firstly I would like to explain about my first point, that the public is unaware about the advantages of waste recycling because , People basically are uneducated about the consequences that it put bad effect on our environment due to waste recycled products major health problems can take place, along with that, chances of having natural disasters are more.For example _ According to a survey, In last 10 years a lots of countries are facing problems of earthquake which destroys thousands of houses and lost their loved ones.Hence, teaching should be given to all students in their school about it. besides, this government should provide banners to societies.
Furthermore, another possible cause is lack of governmental supplies like not having proper dustbins to garbage in which people can put their waste. For instance, According to the times of India, 5 lakhs houses are throwing their mixed garbage in one bin which causes foul smell and a lot of health issues. As a result,people are facing trouble with breathing and lung cancers.
In conclusion,Providing proper garbage supplies labelled with plastic, general and sharp waste with different colours should be given to the public and provide education on how to use it? and health problems arise from waste products. The government should apply penalities on mixing the general waste with plastic and other waste.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. The link between recycling and natural disasters like earthquakes is illogical and lacks relevance, which weakens the argument. While the second body paragraph provides a more practical example regarding waste management infrastructure, the overall development remains somewhat superficial. To reach a higher band, you should focus on providing more logical, well-supported arguments that directly relate to the environmental impact of waste, rather than making broad, unsubstantiated claims about natural disasters.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'Though, there are several reasons behind it, but...' is grammatically incorrect and uses redundant conjunctions. Transitions like 'Hence' and 'besides' are used, but the flow between sentences is often disjointed. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the punctuation—such as the use of underscores and unnecessary question marks—disrupts the logical progression of the text. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will significantly enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect collocations, such as 'forks think' (likely a typo for 'folks' or 'people'), 'less resources availability', and 'put bad effect on our environment'. The use of '5 lakhs' is specific to certain regions and may not be universally understood in an international context. To improve, you should focus on using more academic vocabulary and ensuring that word choices are natural and appropriate for a formal essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'teaching should be given'), incorrect article usage, and run-on sentences. Punctuation is also problematic, with unnecessary commas and incorrect capitalization (e.g., 'People basically are uneducated'). While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for punctuation errors would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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