Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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)

Now adays there are people that believe that recycling is being done around their neighbourhood. they believe that the only way to increase it is that the government start introducing strict rules.

One of the most important product that halts recycling is plastic, it takes more then 100 years to decompose and it is used for a variety of products.

I believe that the government should make laws that would introduce alternatives to plastic bags like paper bags, similarly instead of plastic straws there should be paper ones and for people to be convinced that recycling is good they need to see evidence of like for example products made of recycled material.

Furthermore some laws like having separate bins for recycled material as well as advertisement should be introduced. These not only encourage the people but also not become annoying to the point they start hating it.

Additionally government should make it mandatory for brands to recycle their waste as well. this way the people will see it as an good advancement towards environment friendly productions. By having advertainments about recycling it will motivate people to be more cautions about it and contribute in it as well.

On the other hand the government should also enforce legal action towards companies that produces a lot of pollution and demand more products that can be recycled easily.

In Conclusion people are seeing that if the government doesn't take a stand then recycling would not get any better. It may start hurting the environment and make earth unliveable in the future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the role of government legislation in recycling. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the suggestion to use paper bags instead of plastic is a valid point, but the argument lacks depth regarding the economic or social implications of such laws. The essay covers the main requirements, but the position could be more clearly articulated throughout the text. Some points, such as the mention of 'advertisement', are introduced but not fully explored in relation to the necessity of legal mandates. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a clear, well-supported argument that directly answers the 'to what extent' aspect of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'In Conclusion', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The logical flow is generally clear, but the connection between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between plastic products and the need for government intervention is somewhat abrupt. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher bands. There are some spelling errors, such as 'advertainments' (advertisements) and 'cautions' (cautious). The student uses basic vocabulary like 'good' and 'bad', which limits the sophistication of the argument. While the student attempts to use topic-specific terms like 'decompose' and 'environment friendly', the overall lexical range is somewhat restricted. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive or overly simple word choices.

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 'Now adays' (Nowadays), 'more then' (more than), and 'companies that produces' (companies that produce). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and sentence boundary punctuation would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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

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