Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-21

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)

It is admitted by few people that the no sufficient amount of household waste is recycled. According to them the single solution to this issue is that the government should make laws, based on which every household waste must be recycled. And i totally agree with this statement. The two reasons and a counter reason is explained in detail along with the conclusion.

The very first reason is that todays generation is not as diciplined and accountable as before. They do not agree to obey rules untill they are made accountable for doing that by law. For instance, if I imagine myself in this situation i will not act as per rules completely until i am made responsible.

The second reason is that government is capable of initiating programsand installing machines that directly target the public with a clear benefit at the back. For example, if governing bodies install machines in every street and socities which convert the organic waste into fertilizer, the people will automatically use those machine if they love their plants.

While along with positive perspectives of implementing laws it also has some drawbacks like if laws would be introduced and the people who do not act as per law then they will be charged, thier will be penalties.

All in all it is bette

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position agreeing that laws are needed to enforce recycling. However, the task achievement is heavily compromised because the essay is significantly under-length, containing only 218 words compared to the mandatory 250-word minimum. While the writer introduces two main reasons, they are somewhat superficial and under-developed, relying on generic statements rather than robust examples. Furthermore, the final paragraph cuts off abruptly mid-sentence, preventing a complete conclusion from being delivered. Consequently, the ideas are not fully explored or extended, leading to a Band 5.0 score for Task Achievement due to the combined effects of under-length writing and limited idea development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay displays some basic organization with paragraph breaks separating the introduction, body points, and a truncated conclusion. However, the overall progression is disrupted by the incomplete ending and mechanical transitions. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes awkward, such as starting a sentence with 'And i totally agree' and using phraseology like 'The very first reason'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of a proper concluding paragraph weakens the structural integrity of the text. Because the arrangement shows some basic coherence but lacks clear overall progression and effective cohesive management, it firmly aligns with a Band 5.0 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates a limited but minimally adequate range of vocabulary suitable for discussing the topic of recycling and government laws. Words such as 'household waste', 'organic waste', and 'penalties' are used appropriately. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and inappropriate word choices, such as 'diciplined' (misspelled), 'programsand' (spacing error), and awkward phrases like 'at the back' instead of 'as an incentive'. The vocabulary lacks sophistication and precision, and the persistent errors in spelling and word formation place this performance securely at the Band 5.0 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('if I imagine myself in this situation i will not act'). However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are numerous capitalization and punctuation errors, including the lowercase 'i', missing apostrophes in contractions like 'thier', and spelling mistakes. Furthermore, complex structures frequently contain errors or awkward phrasing, and the sentence structure breaks down entirely at the very end of the text. Because frequent errors cause some difficulty and reduce the accuracy of the output, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.

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

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