Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-24

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)

Recycling waste is one of the most important task to perform in order to control waste in any country. People usually throw the items which could be utilized again in the waste because that particular item is not of their use anymore. This large production of waste increases pressure on the landfills and dumpsites. So, government should properly manage waste and there must be proper system of waste management in a country. Many items could be recycled again for example : plastic, wooden items, utensils, crockery, glass, ceramic etc. All of these items could be recycled and transformed into new products which can then be utilized by others if sell in market at comparatively lower prices. Many materials such as glass for example is responsible for hurting people or animals if being thrown in the waste, so waste can result in harming living organisms therefore, there should be a proper way to recycle the items and use it later on. Moreover, many people throw wooden items or furniture in waste, that could be properly transformed in another beautiful furniture piece and many people would be willing to buy it if it will be beautifully transformed, no one will believe that it was a waste. Someone's waste could be someone else's treasure. If the waste is recycled in proper manner many homeless people could also use it to satisfy their needs. Household waste also includes food items, many people throw out food only if it has a mere mark on it, that waste could be used by homeless people. So there really is a need to recycle the waste material rather than letting it go in dumpsites or landfills. Government of each country should take a proper action on waste management.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the topic of recycling but fails to engage with the core prompt: the extent to which government legislation is necessary. The essay focuses almost exclusively on the benefits of recycling and general waste management strategies rather than debating the role of legal requirements. Consequently, the position is not clearly stated or developed. While the ideas provided are relevant to the general theme of waste, they do not directly answer the specific question asked. To improve, you must explicitly discuss whether laws are the best approach compared to other methods, such as education or incentives, and maintain this focus throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a clear structure; it is written as a single block of text rather than using distinct paragraphs for introduction, body, and conclusion. This makes the progression of ideas difficult to follow. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover' and 'So', the transitions between ideas are often mechanical or repetitive. The lack of paragraphing significantly hinders the logical flow of the argument. To achieve a higher score, you should organise your response into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the argument, and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'proper way', 'properly transformed', and 'proper action' are used frequently, which limits the range of expression. There are some attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as 'landfills' and 'dumpsites', but the overall lexical range is narrow. To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and academic collocations. For example, instead of repeating 'proper', use terms like 'effective', 'systematic', or 'mandatory' to better convey your meaning and demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they often contain errors in punctuation and syntax, such as the run-on sentence: 'Many items could be recycled again for example : plastic, wooden items, utensils, crockery, glass, ceramic etc.' There are also frequent errors in article usage and subject-verb agreement, such as 'one of the most important task' (should be 'tasks') and 'if sell in market' (should be 'if sold in the market'). To improve, focus on mastering the use of complex sentences with correct subordinating conjunctions and pay closer attention to basic grammatical accuracy, particularly pluralisation and verb forms.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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