Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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)

It is claimed by some people that it is essential to recycle the household waste properly. Yes I agree by this statement that it should be Government responsibility to ensure some laws for people to dump the waste properly and then recycle it.

Firstly, It is responsibility of public to clean their homes, streets and other public places. In addition to this, Government should assigns some rules and laws for public for the recycling of waste. By following these rules, There should be less chances of pollution because when waste is disposed directly in the open grounds, it cause different type of pollution such as Air and water pollution, which are health hazardous and cause different diseases. To prevent these issues, it's compulsory to implement different laws about waste recycling. Waste include different type of products like rubber, plastic, Iron and polythene etc. Among these, Plastic can recycled easily to make other stuff.

Secondly, In developed countries like America there is proper waste recycling system where tons of waste is recycled everyday and utilize it in making some other useful products. Similarly, There are many more examples of such countries for example, According to 2004 survey, Scotland has found one of the countries who has awareness about waste disposal system and its proper recycling. They made plastic bags by melting plastic and other products also. So, its necessary to obligate the laws about waste recycling. In Conclusion, there should also be proper waste disposal system so that it can prevent pollution causing agents to cause diseases in people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of government-mandated recycling. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention pollution and provide examples like Scotland, the arguments lack depth and could be further extended to explain *why* legislation is more effective than voluntary measures. The response covers the main points, but the analysis remains at a surface level. To improve, focus on explaining the causal link between legal requirements and behavioral change, rather than just listing the benefits of recycling itself.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition to this', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. Some sentences feel disconnected, and the use of referencing is sometimes unclear. For instance, the transition between the general need for laws and the specific example of Scotland could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would help elevate the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'household waste', 'disposed', and 'hazardous'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'Government should assigns some rules' (should assign) and 'obligate the laws' (enforce/implement laws). Some vocabulary is repetitive, and there is a lack of more sophisticated, academic collocations. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensuring that words are used in their correct grammatical form.

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. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Government should assigns'), article usage ('the Government', 'a proper waste recycling system'), and awkward sentence construction ('Yes I agree by this statement'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent use of articles and prepositions.

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