Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-15

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 many countries,Citizens do not recycle their wastage as much as they.What is the reason behind and what should they do to change this. to summerize this essay in my thought. Firstly. in many countries people didn't prefer to recycle there wastage because lack of awareness many people don't know how to separate or recycle different types of waste.Moreover,some areas do not have enough recycling bins or proper waste collection system.People find throwing everything into one bin easier and faster. However,what should be done to change this.Schools and government can teach people about recycling and its environmental benefits,government should provide proper different bins for home streets and public places.Government can introduce a new law they fine for excessive waste and reward for recycling can encourage people to participate. In addition,they government can use social media to raise awareness.Cities improve their wate-collection system for example recycling trucks could collect recyclable material from home every week.Companies reduce unnecessary packaging.For instance,schools can organize recycling campaigns and competitions. In conclusion,the citizens and government should work together to change the environment,when two people work together they can change the reality and make alot of things.Individual has work as well.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt—reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions—but the development is insufficient. The essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the ideas are relevant, they are presented as a list of points rather than fully extended, supported arguments. For instance, the suggestion to 'introduce a new law' is mentioned but not explained in terms of how it would practically function. The introduction is also problematic, as it repeats the prompt rather than paraphrasing it effectively, and the conclusion is somewhat disjointed. To improve, you must expand on your points with specific examples and ensure the essay meets the required length.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the structure is weak. The introduction is confusing and does not clearly state a position. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'However', 'In addition'), they are often used mechanically or at the start of sentences that lack logical flow. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between 'two people' and the broader environmental issue is vague. Improving the logical progression of ideas and using a wider variety of cohesive devices would help the reader follow your argument more easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'wastage' (which is often used incorrectly here; 'waste' is more appropriate) and 'things'. There are also spelling errors such as 'wate-collection' and 'alot'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'environmental benefits' and 'recycling campaigns', the overall range is limited. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic or formal synonyms will significantly enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'lack of awareness', 'government should provide'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'people didn't prefer'), and punctuation errors, such as the misuse of full stops after introductory words like 'Firstly'. The sentence structure is often fragmented, particularly in the introduction and conclusion. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that your sentences are complete and punctuated correctly. Practicing complex sentence construction will also help you demonstrate a wider grammatical range.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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