Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-31
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, people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could. Recycling is the process of creating new things out of waste products.
However, many persons does not recycle their rubbish as much as they should because of the low information about recycling. Also, due to low income that comes from it from agents of recycling.
Due to small information about recycle, many people don't know much about it and how it works or where to take their rubbish to to get money it makes recycle turn low in many countries.
Moreso, many people do not recycle their rubbish because of the low income that comes from it by agents of recycling. When someone gives out their rubbish they will get just a little token where by the agents will be rewarded big which makes people not wanting to recycle their rubbish in many countries.
I think the government should try as much as possible to keep using the media such as tv to create awareness to the masses on how important it is to recycle their rubbish which serves as raw materials for production. Also recycling companies should create a direct contact for people to come and give out their rubbish to make high income without agents.
Conclusively, recently i saw a video from a friend in China where their government made a machine available where anybody can dispose their rubbish and get paid directly to their bank, this can push people to always go their to drop their rubbish and get paid.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| 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 ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. The explanation regarding 'low information' and 'low income' is clear but lacks depth. The suggestion for government intervention and the example from China are relevant, but the overall argument remains simplistic. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations or broader societal implications rather than repeating the same concepts in different paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive (e.g., 'Also', 'Due to', 'Moreso'). Some transitions are awkward, such as 'it makes recycle turn low', which hinders the flow of ideas. While there is a logical progression from problems to solutions, the internal cohesion within paragraphs is weak, and the referencing is sometimes unclear, making the text feel disjointed in places.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally basic and repetitive. You rely heavily on simple terms like 'rubbish', 'things', and 'low'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'low information' (should be 'lack of awareness') and 'make high income' (should be 'generate higher income'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the basic meaning, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. You should aim to incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to environmental issues.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is a recurring issue, such as 'many persons does not recycle' and 'it makes recycle turn low'. There are also errors in sentence structure, such as 'where by the agents will be rewarded big' and 'go their to drop their rubbish'. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often faulty. You need to focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and correct preposition usage to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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