Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-01

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 alot countries around the world, individuals are not reusing and safe the used waste products.I believe the main reason behind this is the lack of advanced technology and several initiative can be done from government to address it.

Firstly,In this modern era,some underdeveloped countries still lack enough resources and contemprory innovation to solve this emerging issue which is the major cause for it.Furthermore,some nations still are used to their traditional and cultural way of eating their meals,in which they use steel or mud as plates or glasses to drink and eat food,this is the reason behind less usage and recycling of plastics in some countries.For example,in south asian countries many peoples are widely following their traditional eating style which includes earthern pottery,plates,jugs and wooden scoops.

On the other hand,there are numerous solutions to this rising problem.One of them is to start encouraging the use of plastics materials and modern inventions in rural areas specially.Moreover ,alloting countries with modern innovation so they can also have technology for recycling of plastics.Arising the awareness of cleanliness and sense of responsibility among the citizens can help encourage them to stop throwing trash around in the city and instead of it,they should dissolve in cans.

To put it in the nutshell,many of the nations lack enough modern technology to recycle rubbish and many refuse to use plastics because of their traditional values.But,it can be resolved with aiding other poor countries by well-developed countries for contemporary recycling innovation and by the right sense of awareness.

AI examiner evaluation

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. The argument regarding traditional eating habits is interesting but slightly tangential to the core issue of recycling waste. The solutions provided, such as 'encouraging the use of plastics', are somewhat contradictory to the goal of environmental sustainability, which weakens the logic of the response. To reach a higher band, you should focus on more universally applicable solutions, such as government-led infrastructure investment, public education campaigns, and stricter waste management policies, while ensuring your arguments are fully extended and clearly linked to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'On the other hand'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the transition 'instead of it, they should dissolve in cans', which is confusing. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the internal cohesion within sentences is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your referencing (e.g., 'it', 'this') clearly points back to the intended noun.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'safe the used waste products' (instead of 'save' or 'dispose of') and 'alloting countries with modern innovation'. Some phrasing is also non-idiomatic, such as 'dissolve in cans'. While the meaning is generally clear, the limited range of vocabulary and the presence of errors in word formation and collocation prevent a higher score. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic collocations related to environmental issues would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include missing articles ('in south asian countries'), incorrect verb forms ('several initiative can be done'), and punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after commas and periods. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that your sentence structure remains grammatically sound when attempting more complex ideas. Proofreading for basic punctuation and spacing would also significantly improve the professional appearance of your writing.

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

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