Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-04
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)
In this contemporary era, there is an ongoing debate regarding the environment issues. A group of individuals believe that recycle system is the solely catalyst for this problem. However, others argue that recycling is not only solution to fix it. Therefore, In my opinion, both views will be discussed further.
Examining the former opinion, the primary argument the supporter would put forward is recycling is only enough to solve this problem. This is because saves nature such as citizens of nation do not need to cut down trees. In addition, less trash. For example, plastics bottles can be recycle and designed some decorative items from it. The ultimate consequence is that recycling is good option to saves environment.
On the contrary, those in favor of the latter opinion have there own arguments. To begin with, they claim that recycling in not enough because recycling is not perfect. For instance, some plastics cannot be recycled such as a polyvinyl chloride because it highly toxic and extremely difficult to process. Also, recycling factories still use a lot of electricity and cause pollution. So, consumer should buy less and factories will make less.
To conclude and offer my position, they are convincing arguments both for and against environment
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 205 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the discussion remains superficial. While both views are mentioned, the arguments are under-developed and lack sufficient supporting evidence. Furthermore, the conclusion is incomplete and fails to clearly state your own opinion as requested by the prompt. To improve, you must expand on your points with more detailed explanations and ensure all parts of the task are fully addressed, including a clear, well-supported personal stance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In addition', 'On the contrary', 'To begin with'). The progression of ideas is logical, but the lack of depth makes the overall flow feel disjointed. The final paragraph is abrupt and lacks a proper concluding sentence, which affects the overall coherence of the piece. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would improve the logical flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'recycle system is the solely catalyst' (should be 'recycling is the sole catalyst') and 'saves nature' (should be 'preserves the environment'). The range is limited, and the repetition of basic terms like 'recycling' and 'environment' suggests a need for more synonyms and collocations. Focusing on learning topic-specific vocabulary and improving word forms will help enhance your lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'recycling is only enough to solve this problem' (awkward phrasing), 'there own arguments' (should be 'their'), and 'consumer should buy less' (should be 'consumers'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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