Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-11
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)
Individuals do not try to recycle their garbage in many societies. There are several causes for this problem. This essay will discuss bot causes and solutions about this problem.
To begin with, there are several reasons about why individuals do not recycle garbage. Firstly, they may not have proper knowledge about how the garbage is polluting earth. Due to this they ignore and throw it anywhere they want. For example, a person walking on street and drinking a coffee, he do not see any bin there, so he will throw it anywhere he want without knowing the consequences.
However, there are several solutions to deal with this problem. First of all government should fine the individuals for throwing garbage and not recycling. Because to this, they may fear to pay the fine. As a result they will think twice while throwing the garbage. Moreover, government should conduct surveys to warn individuals about the pollution that is caused by landfills. Due to this, they will get aware of the environmental impacts and think about it. As an outcome, they will try to recycle garbage as much as possible.
In conclusion, there are some reasons about why individuals do not try to recycle rubbish such as, they may not have proper knowledge about how it will effect and they are not warned about the consequences. But there are many solutions to reduce this problem as government can help people understand how it will negatively effect our future and should fine them for throwing garbage.
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 these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the example of a person throwing a coffee cup is a bit simplistic and does not fully explore the systemic or psychological barriers to recycling. The solutions provided, such as government fines and surveys, are relevant but could be expanded upon with more detail or nuance to reach a higher band. The position is clear throughout, but the depth of analysis is limited, keeping the response at a Band 5.5 level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', 'First of all', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the structure. However, the use of these devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'Due to this' which is used multiple times in a way that feels slightly forced. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. The student relies on basic terms like 'garbage', 'rubbish', and 'problem' throughout the text. There are also some minor collocation errors, such as 'get aware of' instead of 'become aware of' and 'effect' used as a verb instead of 'affect'. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental issues, such as 'sustainability', 'waste management', or 'environmental degradation', and demonstrate a better grasp of word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder the flow. Examples include 'he do not see' (subject-verb agreement), 'anywhere they want' (missing preposition), and 'bot causes' (spelling/typo). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct verb forms, and the proper use of articles to improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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