Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-18
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)
It can be observed that, recycling the rubbish is the most effective way to protect the environment. However,most of the individuals do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could. This essay will discuss the main problem and suggest the effective way to solve this problem. Then,they Choose easier option to put all the garbage in the bin.
To begin with, most of the individuals do not recycle their garbage as much as they could.
Why the people do not recycle enough is lack of awareness. Many individuals don't know how harmful effect on environment of throwing garbage away. Moreover, recycling facilities are not available in every area, so many people find difficulty to separate their garbage and recycle their waste. For example, many people throw the plastics bottles and papers in the general dustin , because they don't know how they recycle it. As a result, they Choose easier option to put throw all the garbage in one bin.
In contrast, there are multiferious solutions to solve this problem. The most prominent way is that the government should provide more bins in every area to reduce the garbage and recycle the waste material easily. And also, individuals put their garbage according to the bin. So, they can't find it difficult to recycle their garbage. In addition, schools and media should educate people about its benefits and the governments can give rewards or incentives for recycling.
To conclude, although there are several issues due to the lack of recycling, taking steps such as providing recycling bins and educating people about recycling can solve the problems to a large extent.
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 limited. While you identify lack of awareness and infrastructure as reasons, the explanation remains superficial. For instance, the example of throwing plastic bottles in the bin is relevant but could be expanded to explain the psychological or systemic barriers more deeply. The solutions provided—more bins and education—are logical but lack specific detail or real-world examples to elevate the argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with clear reasoning and illustrative examples.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the problem to the solution. You use some cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'In contrast'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the use of 'In contrast' to introduce a solution, which does not logically contrast with the previous paragraph. Additionally, some sentences are repetitive, such as the phrasing in the introduction and the body paragraphs. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used to show logical relationships will improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'recycling facilities', 'incentives', and 'environment'. However, there are instances of word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'multiferious solutions' (likely meant 'multifarious') and 'general dustin' (should be 'dustbin'). The repetition of 'garbage' and 'recycle' throughout the text limits your score. To improve, try to incorporate synonyms and more precise collocations to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the plastics bottles'), subject-verb agreement ('individuals put their garbage'), and sentence fragments or awkward syntax ('Why the people do not recycle enough is lack of awareness'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like article usage and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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