Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-19

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)

Some people believe that recycling at home is not enough, while others say that one way to increase recycling is for governments to make it legally required. I think laws, along with other measures, are important to encourage people to recycle more of their waste.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why laws are important. One of the prominent reasons is that if the government makes laws about recycling waste, people would be more likely to follow them. In other words, people should separate different kinds of waste, such as plastic items and glass bottles, and so on, to ease the recycling process. For example, the government can make a law and impose financial penalties on those who fail to comply with recycling rules. As a result, the amount of recyclable waste increases over time after the law is implemented.

On the other hand, the government should provide education about this subject in addition to making laws. This is because some people do not follow the rules, so it is necessary to teach people in their countries proper educational guidelines; if the government does not arrange this solution, countries might face this issue again and again. For instance, in this modern era, advertising has become common, so the government can run public awareness campaigns about recycling; in these advertisements, people can learn about the benefits and why recycling is essential for people and the environment. As a result, it would bring a lot of benefits for countries as well as people.

In conclusion, although some people think that making laws is the only way to increase recycling, I think that laws are important along with other measures to encourage people to recycle and follow the rules properly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout. The writer gives an opinion right away in the introduction that laws are important along with other measures, and maintains this position until the conclusion. Ideas are relevant and supported, such as mentioning financial penalties for individuals who do not comply and public awareness campaigns via advertising. However, some of the supporting ideas feel slightly repetitive or under-developed, particularly when discussing educational guidelines vaguely. The scope of the prompt is adequately covered, matching the Band 6 or 7 descriptors well. The writer presents a clear overview, though extension of ideas could be more sophisticated to reach higher band levels.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is generally coherent with a clear overall arrangement. It follows a traditional four-paragraph structure comprising an introduction, two body paragraphs representing different aspects of the argument, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, some transitions and referencing feel a bit mechanical or repetitive, such as the repeated use of 'As a result' to begin consecutive sentences in different body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas, but paragraph internal cohesion can occasionally be improved to ensure smoother logical progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to the prompt like 'recycling process', 'financial penalties', and 'public awareness campaigns'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary items, but occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing appear, such as writing 'teach people in their countries proper educational guidelines'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate and do not impede communication. To push into higher bands, the student needs to incorporate a wider variety of sophisticated, less common lexical items with more precise collocation and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over conditional structures and subordinate clauses, as seen in sentences like 'One of the prominent reasons is that if the government makes laws... people would be more likely to follow them.' There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as excessive comma splices or slightly clunky phrasing, but they rarely impede communication. The majority of simple sentences are clear, and complex structures are attempted with moderate success, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well where frequent errors persist in complex forms.

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

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