Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23
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)
There are some citizens who complain that waste from homes is not recycled properly. They say that only way to develop recycling habit for governments is to formulate legal policies. This essay will discuss why I believe legal requirement can encourage recycling of household wastage.
Introduction of policies regarding reuse or recycling of product can encourage residents to recycle household garbage. If this kind of policy will be started with penalty for the negligence of law, then it will stop those people who do not pay attention towards this matter. Moreover, people will motivate to recycle the household waste to overcome the extra expenses. In fact, this policy helps in waste management because if citizens will recycle their homes garbage, they will definitely distinguish the trash. Thus, it also assist in effective waste management of city which makes work smoother for authorities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 142 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, which remain superficial and under-developed. While you have addressed the prompt by discussing the role of government legislation in recycling, the lack of depth and the failure to provide concrete examples or a balanced discussion prevent a higher score. To improve, you must expand your arguments with specific evidence, personal experience, or broader societal implications to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into two short paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Thus' to link sentences, but the overall structure is underdeveloped. The paragraphing is insufficient for an essay of this nature, as the introduction and body paragraphs are not clearly delineated. To improve, ensure you have a clear introduction, at least two distinct body paragraphs with well-supported arguments, and a concluding summary. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph focuses on a single main idea will improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision expected at higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'household waste' and 'recycling'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'formulate legal policies' (which is acceptable but could be more natural) and 'negligence of law'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental policy and waste management. Avoid repeating the same words and look for synonyms to demonstrate a broader lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'only way to develop recycling habit for governments is to formulate' is awkward and lacks necessary articles. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and tense usage, such as 'if this kind of policy will be started' (should be 'is started'). To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, including correct article usage and conditional structures. Proofreading for minor errors in verb tense and pluralization will also help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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