Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-09
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 5.5)
In our household there are lot of things which can be recycled, but we tend to throw away those things instead of recycling them. Recycling waste is a best way to reduce pollution and decrease waste. It is also an step towards the sustainable enviorment, so we should recycle which can be recycled instead of throwing it away, And many people fail to do so as they are less aware or do not care much about the enviourmnet. If government can come up with some policies people will have to follow it and can be a great step towards saving our nature and mother Earth.
If people our not taking initative of their waste management then government we will need to step in it. The waste from households can be easily recycled as they do not contain any hazardous waste, with proper dry and waste separation of waste it can be easily used for recycling. Countries like India and China produce tons of waste which cuase severe damage to the enviorment and nature. If this waste can be managed and recycled it will help to reduce pollution and waste from enviourment. If strict laws are not implemented it can be a serious problem. Some countires have got that realisation and they have started to incentivised their citizens buy setting up machine where if put empty plastic bottles people get money. Creating green and blue colour garbage boxes for wet and dry waste. Implementing strict guidelines for using qualities of plastic. Some countires have also banned use of plastic as it take years for it to decompose.
The government plays a very crutial role in countries development. If government establish proper laws for waste managment it will help the country and enviorment to flourish.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the role of government legislation in recycling. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that laws are necessary, the arguments remain quite general. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific, nuanced reasoning or counter-arguments regarding the effectiveness of legal mandates versus voluntary initiatives. The position is clear, but the supporting examples, such as the mention of India and China, are not fully integrated into a cohesive argument about why legislation is the specific solution required. Expanding on the 'extent' of your agreement would improve the depth of your response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. For example, the transition between the introduction and the second paragraph is abrupt. While you use some cohesive devices like 'If' and 'Some countries', the use of linking words is somewhat repetitive and mechanical. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be improved by using more sophisticated transition signals to connect your arguments more fluidly. Referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be more tightly controlled to ensure a smoother reading experience.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'sustainable', 'hazardous', and 'incentivised'. However, there are several spelling errors throughout the text, such as 'enviorment', 'enviourmnet', 'cuase', and 'crutial'. These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable, though they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and try to incorporate more precise collocations. For instance, instead of 'make it a legal requirement', you could use 'mandate' or 'legislate'. The vocabulary is functional but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'an step' (a step), 'people our not' (people are not), and 'government we will need' (government will need). These errors occur frequently and occasionally distract the reader. While you attempt complex sentences using conditional 'if' clauses, the control over these structures is inconsistent. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate more consistent control over basic grammar, particularly subject-verb agreement and article usage, while ensuring that complex structures are error-free.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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