Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17

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 . I agree with this statements because not enough of the the waste from homes is recycled . Recycle means the useable things is can be again for the use its means the the things that is already used we can manifacture the waste and for the use .

Firstly ,making the recycling compulsory can encourage the people to change their daily habits .Many people do not recycle because they think it is inconvenient or unnecessary . If goverments introduse the laws house hold to requaring house hold to separate the recycleable materials from other waste , more rubbish could be recycled . For example, people could be required to put plastic , glass and paper in separate bins . Those whose repeatedly ignore the rules could receive the a small fine . this could introduse the amount of the waste sent to landfills.

However , the laws alone may not solve the problem , governments should be educate the people about the waste and important of the recycling . School ,television and the social media can be used to explain the how recycling helps protect the environment a reduse the pollution . Must be need to educate the people about the recycling and about the waste . Waste from the homes thats also effect the the environment and the polluction. I dont think the the only laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste the knowledge about the recycling importance and its benefits .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the role of government legislation and public education in increasing recycling rates. The writer takes a clear position, agreeing that laws are helpful while also arguing that education is necessary. However, the development of ideas is limited and repetitive, particularly in the introduction and conclusion where sentences are often restated rather than extended. The introduction also attempts a definition of recycling that is awkwardly phrased and lacks clarity. While all parts of the prompt are touched upon, the lack of depth and repetition places the response securely in band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, which helps structure the discussion, but the logical flow is frequently disrupted by repetition and unclear referencing. Cohesive devices are attempted, such as 'Firstly' and 'However', but overall progression is hindered by choppy sentence structures and redundant phrasing. For instance, the conclusion loops back on previous points without adding new progression. Referencing pronouns are sometimes ambiguous, making it difficult to follow the thread of argument in certain sections. Paragraphing is present, but internal cohesion requires better management.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on simple terms like 'waste', 'recycling', and 'things'. There are noticeable lexical inaccuracies, such as 'manifacture the waste' instead of process or convert, and awkward collocations like 'introduse the amount' instead of reduce. Spelling errors occur, such as 'goverments', 'introduse', 'requaring', and 'polluction'. While the vocabulary is minimally adequate to convey the basic topic, the frequent errors and limited range restrict the score to a 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is weak throughout. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('receive the a small fine', 'important of the recycling'), incorrect verb forms ('governments should be educate'), and run-on structures. Punctuation is also problematic, with incorrect spacing around commas and periods. Although some complex ideas are attempted, the frequency of basic errors causes noticeable difficulty for the reader and prevents the response from achieving a higher band.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.