Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-23

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)

Nowadays, people are choosing to recycle waste due to the environment is growing. Some people suggest that recycling is not enough, while they suggest we need to consume less. I will discuss both views and give my relevant opinion in further paragraphs.

On the one hand, people believe that we should recycle more waste because environment is very polluted due to waste items and rubbish. Pollution is danger for people' health. People can not take well breath because lake of pollution nearby them. If we recycle waste, it does not create more pollution. Recycling process is the best way of reduce pollution. For example, people do recycle of waste nearby their home at empty land in USA. Therefore, they can get fresh air because no waste at their nearby home.

On the other hand, some people think recycling is not enough but we should consume less. If we purchase less items so it does not create more pollution. We should purchase only items, which are most need for us. Sometimes, people consume more items. Which is not require at the home but they purchase for future. After that, this items date may expire and they throw outside. For example, some people purchase daily life require items. But they do not use some items before its date expired. As a result, It creates more pollution.

In my opinion, people should purchase only items. which are most required for them. Therefore, they do not throw items in dustbin. As a result, pollution may not create.

In conclusion, both perspectives have their advantages and disadvantages. But, i think we should only purchase items. Which are most require for us.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding recycling and consumption are repetitive and lack depth or specific, well-explained examples. For instance, the example about recycling in the USA is vague and does not clearly illustrate how it solves environmental issues. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments are somewhat simplistic and rely on generalisations. To improve, you should aim to provide more nuanced reasoning and concrete evidence to support your claims, ensuring that each paragraph contributes significantly to the overall argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used correctly, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs are often abrupt. There is also some repetition of vocabulary and sentence structures, which affects the flow. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'this items' or 'which is not require'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use simple terms like 'items', 'pollution', and 'purchase'. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'take well breath' instead of 'breathe well' and 'lake of pollution' instead of 'lack of pollution'. These errors occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, you should attempt to use a wider range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items and more precise collocations related to environmental topics, while ensuring they are used accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often faulty, such as 'Nowadays, people are choosing to recycle waste due to the environment is growing.' There are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('this items date may expire'), article usage, and tense consistency. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with fragments like 'Which is not require at the home' appearing as separate sentences. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and reducing the frequency of errors, while gradually incorporating more complex structures like relative clauses and conditional sentences with greater accuracy.

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

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