Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-07
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)
Most countries people do not recycle rubbish as much as expected ,i think this is environmental pollution.
Environmental pollution is caused by improper disposal and recycling of wastes that comes from our homes, businessess and industries. For instance, home wastes that come from the kitchen, if not well recycled it will decompose and cause air pollution because it will remove a dad odour. For proper recycling they should be disposed in pit and covered with layer of soft soil that will later be removed and used as manure in farms.
On the other hand, wastes from industries if not well recycled and released to the environment it is ditrimental . This wastes causes land pollution and air pollution some of them releases poisonous gases which causes respiratory problems to human and animals, it also occupies large spaces that could be used for farming. The government should formulate a policy that restricts and makes sure that the waste are treated properly before the release to the nature. Also ,a locate a landfill for common waste disposal.
Lastly public awareness should be conducted for people to be taught on the importance of recycling waste as required and the negative impact of un treated waste to our daily life, the goverment to have a centralised waste treatment plan For example ,a city to have a garbage site which is collected by city council lorries taken to the site ,sorted and recycled .The reusable products will create revenue for the city and also a source of employment to the city dwellers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| 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 is somewhat superficial. The explanation of why people do not recycle is limited to a brief mention of pollution rather than exploring societal or logistical barriers. The solutions provided, such as government policy and public awareness, are relevant but lack depth. The essay tends to focus more on the consequences of waste (pollution) rather than the core task of explaining the lack of recycling participation. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'why'—for example, discussing lack of infrastructure, inconvenience, or lack of public education—and provide more detailed, concrete examples for your proposed solutions.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression within paragraphs is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical (e.g., 'On the other hand', 'Lastly'). Some transitions are missing or awkward, such as the abrupt start to the second paragraph. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly with the use of 'it' and 'this', which occasionally makes it difficult to identify the specific noun being referred to. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally from the previous one will significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors, such as 'businessess', 'ditrimental', and 'goverment'. Some word choices are imprecise, such as 'remove a dad odour' (likely meaning 'emit a bad odour') and 'locate a landfill' (which is an instruction rather than a description of a solution). The range of vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'waste' and 'pollution'. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of common academic terms.
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 (e.g., 'wastes... is detrimental'), incorrect article usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'the goverment to have a centralised waste treatment plan'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and misplaced commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction, particularly ensuring that subjects and verbs agree and that complex sentences are punctuated correctly, is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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