Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-25

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)

Environmental problems such as global warming and climate change are widely debated issues toady. With the growing awareness about environmental pollution people are trying to find solution to the problem. Many people thing there should be more recycling to cope with the problem while others believe that we should minimise our consumtion rather than recycel. Both these perspectives have their pros and cons. I think that choosing to recycle more can help to solve the issue.

On the one hand, many people think that recycling plastic and other disposible products are not being done adequately. Nowadays, there is an increasing trend of using plastic and other disposible materials for daily use. Individuals use them in parties and outdoor activities. This disposible matetial is collected from trash and recycled in special plants. Unfortunately due to inadequate disposal or collection a lot of palstic and other disposible material is wasted and could not be recycled, Moreover, there is a relative deficiency of recycling plants especially in developing countries.Consequently, there is not enough recycling and a lot of palctic is dumped in sea or soil.

On the other hand, many people pressed upon less consumption of disposible material. They think that individuals are overusing plastic for many purposes. This usage should be minimised because plastic is proven to be hazardous to health. For example, heating food in plastic may result in production of substances which may be carcinogen and might cause serious health issues. Moreover, recycling process of disposible matetial especially plastic produce toxic substances. The misuse of palstic bags result in piles of shopper bags which may be dangerous to other animals who usually fed on garbages. This leads to hazards to other living animals such as birds, due to chocking and death caused by accidental consumption of plastic. This might result in loss of biodeivertsity due extiction of a particular species with disturbance of whole food chain.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both proposed responses: the first body paragraph explains shortcomings in recycling, while the second gives reasons to reduce plastic use, including possible health effects and harm to wildlife. However, the task asks for your view as well, and your position—“choosing to recycle more can help to solve the issue”—appears only briefly in the introduction. The essay does not explain why recycling should be preferred over reducing consumption, or how the two approaches might relate. Some supporting claims, such as the health risks of heating food in plastic, are relevant but need clearer explanation and connection to the central comparison. Develop your opinion throughout and support each main point with a specific, well-explained example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting contrasting views, and a logical sequence of examples within each paragraph. Phrases such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “Moreover” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the essay ends without a conclusion, so the discussion and your own position are left unresolved. Some links are also mechanical, and the long final sentence moves from harm to animals to biodiversity without clearly explaining each step. Use a concluding paragraph to summarise both views and reaffirm your opinion, and make links between cause and effect more explicit. This would strengthen the overall progression and clarity.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “recycling plants,” “hazardous to health,” “carcinogen,” and “biodiversity,” which helps communicate the subject. There is some attempt to use less common terms, but spelling errors and imprecise or repetitive wording reduce accuracy and sometimes make the reader pause. For example, “disposible” and “palstic” recur, while “pressed upon less consumption” is an unnatural phrase. “Plastic and other disposable products” is also repeated frequently, limiting flexibility. Check spelling carefully and build a wider set of accurate expressions for waste, consumption, and environmental impact. More natural collocations would make your ideas clearer and more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “which,” and “who.” Most of the meaning remains understandable, but errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction occur in several places. For instance, “recycling plastic and other disposable products are not being done” has a mismatch between the subject and verb, and “This leads to hazards to other living animals” is awkwardly structured. The final sentence also combines several ideas in a way that makes the grammatical relationships unclear. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and building longer sentences around one clear main clause. Accurate control of these patterns will make your complex ideas easier to follow.

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