Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-16

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)

In this essay we will talk about the laws needed for the public to recycle more of their house waste. Most of the houses throw garbage on roads and grounds which affects the environment and cause many diseases.

There are many laws which are needed to be imposed on the general public for encouraging them to recycle more of their waste. Many laws are made but people do not follow them and start ignoring the laws which lead to many problems . We will also discuss the solutions which will help to solve the problem.

In our country India there is a lot of house and factory waste which is harmful for the people and the environment . Many Cows are found eating plastic bags which are non-biodegradable and harmful for the environment. There are Beverage cans which are thrown on the ground and they do not get mixed with the soil and making the soil infertile. According to me, the first law which is required is ' Banning Plastic Bags and using Jute Bags ' through this law the people will start using jute bags which are biodegradable and do not affect the environment and the soil. The second law should be of ' Using Paper cups and Ban on Plastic cans ' with the help of this law the general public will not use plastic cans and use paper cups which are recyclable and biodegradable. The government should make a team which will ensure that the public is following rules made by the government and the one who is not following should be fined .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the topic by arguing that laws are needed and giving examples of measures such as banning plastic bags and fining people who do not comply. The examples of cows eating plastic and cans affecting soil are relevant to household waste and environmental harm. However, the response only partly answers the question of how necessary laws are: it does not clearly weigh legal requirements against other ways to encourage recycling, and the opening promises a discussion of solutions without developing a broader argument. Several proposals also focus on banning products rather than requiring households to sort or recycle waste. Develop a clear position on the extent laws are needed, then explain how enforcement and practical support would make recycling more effective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic paragraph structure, moving from an introduction to the problem and then to proposed laws. Some linking phrases, including “According to me,” “through this law,” and “The second law,” help show the order of ideas. However, progression is limited: the second paragraph announces that solutions will be discussed but does not establish a clear line of argument, and the final paragraph combines several examples and proposals without a concluding summary. Repeated references to “laws” and “the public” make the connections feel mechanical. Organise the body around distinct points—for example, why voluntary action is insufficient, what laws should require, and how enforcement should work—and use a conclusion to restate your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some topic-related vocabulary, such as “non-biodegradable,” “biodegradable,” “recyclable,” and “infertile,” which helps communicate the environmental concerns. The range is nevertheless limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, including “house waste,” “throw garbage on roads and grounds,” and “mixed with the soil.” “Beverage cans” is also not clearly connected to the proposed ban on plastic cans, which weakens precision. Repetition of “law,” “people,” and “environment” further restricts flexibility. Build a more precise vocabulary for waste management, including terms for sorting, collection, recycling facilities, and penalties, and check collocations so that your examples and proposed measures are described accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer structures, such as “Many laws are made but people do not follow them,” and the main meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited, and errors recur in agreement, articles, sentence construction, and punctuation. For example, “which affects the environment and cause many diseases” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “There are Beverage cans” uses an unnecessary capital letter and article pattern. The sentence beginning “According to me, the first law…” is awkwardly joined to the explanation that follows, and several spaces appear before punctuation. Practise building accurate complex sentences with clear clauses, and proofread agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries before submitting.

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