Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. According to me I agree, i think that now government should increase the recycling and make it legal requirement.

Because now days still people do not focus on recycle waste after adding bin with name on it still people don’t understand i think government should add some fine to it , so that people start taking action. Only government responsibility it not enough people should also take this action and together we can make this possible because if we will not start today there will be future problem on are environment are future generation will also have problem.

I want to take example of my own country that is India . In India pollution is so high AQ level so not good place like Delhi the capital of are country till people don’t focus to improve are country or support them , waste are kept in road cows and dogs are eating from there smell is coming but on one is interested to help or improve I do not think it is governments responsibility they have done there role by providing bin in every corner , park near public washroom but till people don’t have manners to make there own country clean or throw their garbage inside the bin i think that country is run by government but it is ruled by people in last o also think one improvement government can do that is add penalty then only people will improve and they will think before doing anything

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by expressing a clear position in favor of legal requirements for recycling. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you mention the need for fines and provide an example from India, the argument lacks depth and fails to explore the counter-arguments or the broader implications of government intervention. The ideas are somewhat repetitive, focusing heavily on the lack of public manners rather than a balanced discussion of the effectiveness of legislation. To improve, ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported point that directly relates to the prompt's core question about the extent to which laws are necessary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into three paragraphs, but the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by poor sentence structure and a lack of cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often missing or awkward, such as the abrupt shift in the second paragraph from recycling bins to environmental concerns. Referencing is also unclear; for example, the phrase 'there role' is used incorrectly, and the connection between the government's actions and the public's behavior is not logically linked. The use of punctuation is inconsistent, which further hinders the reader's ability to follow the progression of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and often repetitive, relying on simple terms like 'good', 'bad', 'help', and 'improve'. There are frequent errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'AQ level so not good' instead of 'poor air quality' and 'waste are kept in road' instead of 'waste is left on the streets'. You also struggle with word forms, such as using 'recycle' as a noun when 'recycling' is required. To reach a higher band, you need to incorporate a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental policy and waste management, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that often impede communication. There are persistent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'government should increase', 'waste are kept'), incorrect pronoun usage (e.g., 'are country' instead of 'our country'), and run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. Complex sentence structures are attempted but are almost always faulty, leading to confusion. The majority of the sentences contain errors, and the lack of control over basic grammar, such as articles and prepositions, significantly impacts the clarity of your writing. Focusing on sentence boundaries and basic grammatical accuracy is essential for improvement.

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

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