Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Concern for the environment is growing and more and more people are choosing to recycle. But some people suggest that recycling is not enough. They believe we need to consume less.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Worries regarding the environment is increasing day by day which is leading in an increasing number of individuals opting for recycling. Whereas others are of the opinion that just recycling is not sufficent and should consume less. Recycling will lead to actual change in environment and consuming less will decrease the amount that is needed to recycle. I agree with consuming less as it will be benefit the environment in the long run.

Residents are choosing to recycle because of the environmental issues that we are currently facing due to global pollution caused by petrol driven cars producing toxic fumes, electricity that is being generated by burning coals which produces alot of smoke hurting our ozone layer and the amount of trash especially plastic which is not biodegradable that is being thrown into the rivers hurting our biomarine life and polluting our ocean water. I disagree since recycling is not treating the main cause which is to consume less and not endanger our environment in our first place and we should create policies to control our environmental waste and pollution.

Consuming less actually benefits our environment in the long run by not having the need to recycle much especially by working people whose job is not to go out of their way to recycle stuff because of the global pollution caused by factors which are not in their control. I agree with this view since there wont be a need to recycle stuff by alot of people if they just consume less and dont produce a lot of waste. For example if people start being concious of the things they are buying and factories who are non-eco friendly change their practices, there will not be need to recycle at all.

In conclusion, the worries for the environment are rapidly increasing which is making more people to recycle while other people hold the view of consuming less, although recycling is a great thing to do for our environment it is not treating the root cause and consuming less will make our environment better in the coming years.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a clear preference for consuming less, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The discussion of recycling includes relevant environmental examples, such as plastic waste and pollution, while the second body paragraph explains how reduced consumption could limit waste. However, the two positions are not explored evenly: the case for recycling is mostly a list of environmental problems rather than an explanation of how recycling helps, and the claim that consuming less means there will be “no need to recycle at all” is too absolute and not supported. Develop each view with a specific, realistic example and explain how it supports your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the reader can follow the general contrast between recycling and consuming less. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. In the second paragraph, the long list of pollution sources is followed by “I disagree,” without making clear which view you are disagreeing with. The repeated use of “I agree” and “I disagree” also makes the argument feel mechanical, and some links between ideas are abrupt. Use topic sentences to identify each paragraph’s main point, then connect examples directly to that point with clear referencing and varied transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “biodegradable,” “toxic fumes,” “global pollution” and “environmental waste,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited by repeated general words such as “stuff,” “things,” “people” and “environment,” and several choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “worries regarding the environment,” “hurting our biomarine life,” and “a lot of smoke hurting our ozone layer.” Spelling errors such as “sufficent” and “concious” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise terms and natural combinations—for example, describe harm to marine life or damage to the ozone layer—and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “because” and “although,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction are frequent enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. For example, “Worries … is increasing” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “which is leading in an increasing number” is not formed correctly. In “I agree with consuming less as it will be benefit,” the verb pattern is faulty. Long sentences also combine several ideas without clear punctuation. Practise checking each clause for a clear subject and verb, and break long lists into shorter, controlled sentences.

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