Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.
To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
People believe that waste are not being recycled from their homes as much as it should. To increase recycling government should pass law. Government are responsible for the waste to be recycled, they should use such things which are made from plastics, papers. in addition they should restrict the things which are not possible to recycle.
To begin with ,government should increase the manufacturing of the plastic which are easily recycled. So, the people can use in their daily life in their kitchen or to store somethings which can ultimetly produce less harm to the environment. for instance, people collect the food waste to the plastic bags and they can throw easily in the dustbin and that can be recycled.
Furthermore, the process of manufacturing paper are increased which are harmful for the ecosystem as they produced by cutting tress from the forest. government should increased the industries who reproduces the paper from it is waste. for instance, students uses paper more than elders.
To conclude, government should take strict action on the uses which can not be recycled and start focusing on the major increasing on the things which are being recycled. additionally, they should pass the law to ban such things which can not be recycled and focusing onto the things which are easily sustainable for the environment. As a result the uses of plastics and papers are high so government can increase the industries for the recycling of plastics, papers, it can be less harmful for the environment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the role of government in recycling. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you suggest that governments should pass laws, the argument lacks depth regarding the 'extent' to which these laws are necessary. You focus more on manufacturing processes (plastic and paper) rather than the core issue of mandatory recycling laws. The ideas are somewhat repetitive, and the connection between the examples provided and the main argument is occasionally weak. To improve, ensure you directly answer the 'to what extent' question by weighing the pros and cons of legal intervention versus voluntary participation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'To begin with' and 'Furthermore' are used, but the internal flow of sentences is frequently disrupted by awkward phrasing. Referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between 'the uses of plastics and papers are high' and the conclusion is difficult to follow. Improving the logical transition between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'things', 'uses', and 'made'. There are several instances of incorrect word choice or collocation, such as 'reproduces the paper from it is waste' and 'major increasing on the things'. These errors occasionally make the meaning slightly obscure. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental policy and waste management, such as 'legislation', 'sustainability', 'biodegradable', or 'circular economy', and ensure that words are used in their correct grammatical context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the message. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'waste are not being recycled', 'government should increased'), article usage, and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or contain errors in complex structures, such as 'So, the people can use in their daily life...'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subjects and verbs agree, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles or incorrect verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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