Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-09
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)
People donot recycle enough rubbish because it is often more inconvenient, confusing or lacks clear personal benefits.
As sorting trash takes extra time and effort . Public places often lack separate bins for recycling and general waste .
People do not know which items are recyclable or how to clean them properly. Also there is no reward for recycling and no penality for throwing everything away .
We can change this behaviour by making it easy by placing bins next to every regular trash can in public places and homes . Clear labels or bold words on bins to show what goes inside . Give cash refunds for returning plastic bottles and aluminum cans . Teach simple habbitsrin schools and run clear ads on tv and social media .
In conclusion the low rate of recycling is mainly caysedrby insufficient awareness inconvenience and inadequate recycling facilities. Government can tackle this issue by educating the public , improving waste-collection systems and providing financial incentives. With these measures, people are more like to develop responsible recycling habits and contribute to a cleaner environment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt by identifying reasons for low recycling rates and suggesting solutions. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the development of ideas. While the points made—such as inconvenience, lack of facilities, and the need for financial incentives—are relevant, they are presented in a list-like fashion rather than being fully extended and supported with detailed explanations or specific examples. To reach a higher band, you must expand your arguments by providing context, consequences, or real-world examples for each point raised.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow is disjointed. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas together; for example, the second paragraph is a series of fragmented sentences rather than a cohesive argument. The use of transition words is minimal, making the progression of ideas feel mechanical. To improve, you should use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'on the other hand') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects logically to the next.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally functional but basic and repetitive. You use simple terms like 'trash', 'rubbish', and 'bins' throughout. There are also some spelling errors, such as 'penality', 'habbitsrin', and 'caysedrby', which suggest a lack of careful proofreading. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is not sufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands. You should aim to incorporate more topic-specific collocations and academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., spaces before periods) and minor slips like 'people are more like to' instead of 'likely to'. While the errors do not completely impede communication, the lack of complex sentence structures limits your ability to demonstrate grammatical range. To improve, focus on using a mix of compound and complex sentences and ensure that your subject-verb agreement and word forms are accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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