Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-03
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 nations, individuals are not recycling their waste to their maximum capability. This is largely because people have become busy in their daily life routine and do not have ample time to reprocess their waste. Rewarding schemes can be launched to make a change.
People of different nations are not doing that much to reprocess their rubbish, the reason behind that is that they have become increasingly busy in their daily life and recycling their waste looks like a massive task to them. After a long hectic day, they simply do not the energy to separate out the clean papers and plastics, so they just put all their waste in one basket and take the easy way out.
The waste management department of these nations in accordance with the Government can launch rewarding schemes for this purpose as money is the most influential thing in the current century. These schemes will influence the people to take out some time from their busy routine and properly recycle their waste to maximum extent to get a bonus or a gift. The Governments of these countries can also launch informational schemes and campaigns on social media in order to educate more people of the benefits of recycling their waste.
In conclusion, residents of many nations are not exerting efforts to their maximum extent for reprocessing their waste due to the fact that they have a very hectic lifestyle, educational campaigns and rewarding schemes can be started to push people into recycling their waste.
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. The ideas are relevant, focusing on time constraints and the potential for financial incentives. However, the development is somewhat limited. The explanation of why people do not recycle is repetitive, and the solutions could be more thoroughly explored with specific examples or a more nuanced discussion of the barriers beyond just 'being busy'. While the position is clear, the depth of analysis is more characteristic of a Band 6, as it touches on the main points but lacks the extension required for a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the phrase 'in order to' and the reliance on simple conjunctions like 'and' and 'so' limit the flow. Referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the problem and the solution could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the overall structure feels a bit formulaic, which is typical of a Band 6 performance.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'waste management', 'reprocess', and 'incentive-based schemes'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic phrasing like 'massive task', 'easy way out', and 'money is the most influential thing'. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede meaning, but the lack of more sophisticated or precise lexical items prevents a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips. For instance, 'they simply do not the energy' is missing a verb, and 'educate more people of the benefits' should be 'educate more people about the benefits'. Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentences are slightly run-on or lack necessary commas. The control of grammar is sufficient to communicate, but the frequency of minor errors and the limited variety of complex structures keep this in the Band 6 range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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