Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-05
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)
Due to the advancement in technology, everything is available with in a minute, and this leads to buy even the basic things of routine life which can be recycled and reused. Such as card board sheets and clothing. I think this mainly happens due to the materialistic mindsets of people. The reasons and measures to change the perception would be elaborated further.
The foremost reason is sedentary lifestyle. By this I mean, people are stressed due to demanding jobs in such a way that they can even focus properly on what they should to to utilise the daily products is a manner that they should not be overstoking and then later these things turn in to frustration. Another thing is, everything is readily available and that bother to give a thought of using the product again which they already have it.
To overcome this situation, Individual should be given instruction by government to proper utilse the stock which they have at home, for example the clothes which they daily wear can be sensibly reuse for other kid and in the kithchen for moping. Not only that, government can also restrict the businesses to reduce the production of daily items which can be recycled and can be used it again. Such as drink bottles can be washed off properly and can be reused kit again. With collective efforts of government and society can have great impact on recycling products.
Overall, recycling garbage is a big concern nowadays, but it can be better managed if the community and government take steps together to make this wolrd a beautiful place to live in free from rubbish by managing proper recycling process.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| 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 somewhat superficial. For instance, the link between a 'sedentary lifestyle' and recycling is not clearly explained, and the suggestion to use old clothes for 'moping' (mopping) is a bit simplistic. While the position is clear, the arguments lack depth and specific examples that would elevate the response. To improve, you should focus on expanding your points with more logical reasoning and concrete, real-world examples rather than general statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, the phrase 'Another thing is' is quite informal and repetitive. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often applied in a way that feels forced or inaccurate, such as 'In such a way that they can even focus properly on what they should to to utilise'. Improving the variety and accuracy of your linking words will help create a smoother progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of word-choice errors and non-standard collocations, such as 'overstoking' (overstocking) and 'moping' (mopping). Additionally, the phrasing 'washed off properly' is slightly unnatural in this context. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'recycling' and 'materialistic mindsets', the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('Individual should be given'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward sentence construction, such as 'everything is available with in a minute'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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