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)
Even though, many people are agree that household waste is not recycled at its limit. They want that government should enforce law to increase the level of recycling and it is the only way. I partially agree with this statement because it is also responsibility of good citizen.
Active law of waste management help to increase recycling. If the government of the nation take correct action to manage the household waste by enforce effective law and penalty to lawbreaker, then citizen may take it more serious and stop activities which resulted in fines. It works effectively because nobody wants to suffer from monetary loss. For example, according to the survey conducted in 2022, Germany is on the top of household waste recycling due to proper implementation of the law.
Law enforcement is not only way to increase recycling, Public awareness of waste recycled through campaign may also puts positive impact it rise the percentage. Environment protection agency should spread awareness which promote clean surroundings. If they cash prices or reward to responsible citizen who are involved in recycling will motivate them. Moreover educational institute should also guide students which help them to become responsible citizen.
In conclusion, government rules and laws related to waste recycle will help to increase recycling but it is not only one way to enhance the activity, public awareness , rewards will also motivates to take a step toward recycling.
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 both the role of legislation and alternative methods like public awareness. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of development. While the position is clear, the arguments are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the mention of 'cash prices' or rewards is a good idea but lacks specific detail or explanation. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more thorough reasoning and ensure you meet the length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions are missing or awkward, such as the start of the second paragraph. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall progression of ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a strong topic sentence would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the reader to understand your main points. However, there is a lack of flexibility and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'good citizen' and 'correct action'. There are also some word-choice errors, such as 'many people are agree' instead of 'many people agree' and 'cash prices' instead of 'financial incentives'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental policy and waste management, and focus on using collocations more accurately.
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 the flow. Examples include 'They want that government should enforce law' (incorrect verb structure), 'Active law of waste management help' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'it is not only one way' (article usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence construction will help.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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