Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-06
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)
It is argued by some that all home waste material is not recycled. They think that the government should make laws to increase recycling. This is a good strategy and I partially agree with this statement because it is not just the home owners resposibility to recycle the waste products.
The people claim that the government should make it a legal requirement for individuals to recycle their waste items think that by doing so, people will have a fear of being fined and as a result they will take the responsibility of recycling. Thay also think that it will reduce the land pollution too as a result the atmosphere will become clean and roads and streets will look beautiful. If it will be a legal requiremnt then the people must have to do recycling, in this way they will learn differnt methods of recycling and will become skillful individuals of the society.
Introducing laws about recycling is a good strategy, I think it is not the core resposibility of individuals. Introducing and implimenting laws is not enough, the government should also participate in this process by giving awareness to public about recycling. The government should held seminars regarding the importance of recycling and also how to do this process for different items because commom people do not know how to recycle different items. The government should also set up large dust bins with labels on roads and at the corners of the streets so the people will know in which bin they have to throw the specific item. For instance there should be separate bins for plastic bottles and glass bottles.
In conclusion, Although introducing laws for recycling is essential, the government should also contribute in the recycling process by conducting seminars, awareness programes and setting up trash bins. In this way almost all waste material wil be recycled properly
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, acknowledging the prompt while arguing that laws alone are insufficient. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others, which is typical of this band level. For instance, the paragraph discussing the benefits of legal requirements is somewhat repetitive, focusing broadly on fear of fines and cleanliness without deeper exploration. Conversely, the counter-argument regarding government responsibility—such as conducting seminars, providing awareness programmes, and setting up labelled bins—is extended and supported with relevant examples like plastic and glass bottles. To reach a higher level, all main ideas would need to be fully developed and supported with equal depth.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, showing an attempt at logical progression. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. While basic cohesive devices and transition signals such as 'For instance' and 'In conclusion' are used, referencing is not always clear, and the logical flow between sentences occasionally stumbles, such as the abrupt transition in the third paragraph ('Introducing laws about recycling is a good strategy, I think it is not the core resposibility...'). Paragraphing is present and generally appropriate, but the internal links within paragraphs require smoother integration. Improving the variety and accuracy of cohesive devices would enhance the overall progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting some less common vocabulary such as 'strategy', 'requirement', and 'participation'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, including 'resposibility', 'Thay', 'requiremnt', 'differnt', 'implimenting', 'commom', and 'programes'. Furthermore, awkward collocations and word choices appear, such as 'home waste material' and 'giving awareness to public'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the argument, but they restrict the lexical score because precision and control are lacking.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt at subordination and conditional structures like 'If it will be a legal requiremnt then the people must have to do recycling'. There are several errors in grammar and punctuation, such as tense inconsistencies (e.g., 'If it will be' instead of 'If it is', 'should held' instead of 'should hold'), missing articles ('the public'), and comma splices. Although these errors persist throughout the text, they rarely impede overall communication, meaning the reader can still grasp the intended meaning without undue strain.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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