Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries, people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could.

Why do you think this is?

What can be done to change this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

In some nations, people are tend to recycle less rubbish than they could, because of lack of awareness and the cost associated to it. This essay will explain the reasons behind it and provide a logical solution to tackle with this problem.

The primary reason people do not want to recycle their waste because they are not aware about the consequences related to it. They lack the knowledge about the materials that can be recycled. The other reason is the expenses that they have to pay. For example, in many countries individuals have to spend a certain amount to recycle waste materials which people find it challenging further avoiding the need to recycle.

To overcome this problem, authorities can start the awareness programs in which people are informed about the kinds of waste can be recycled and the process behind it. Moreover, public need to be aware about the damage it poses to the environment. In addition, government should reduce the price as people with low income cannot afford to pay for it each month. For instance, instead of paying every month there should be annual fees which makes it easy to pay and individuals can be stress free for a year.

To conclude, recycling rubbish is an essential job as non decomposing items poses a serious problem to environment and human beings by reducing air quality and coming in contact with allergic materials. Therefore, awareness campaign and reducing the cost are most effective solutions to reduce the risk of serious health issues and ensuring healthy life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as lack of awareness and financial barriers. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the suggestion of 'annual fees' is a creative idea, but the explanation of why people do not recycle remains a bit generic. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your examples with more specific detail or depth of analysis. The position is clear throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points, ensuring all parts of the task are covered.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason', 'The other reason', 'To overcome this problem', and 'In addition' to guide the reader. While the progression is clear, the use of these devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the central topic of each paragraph is well-maintained throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'recycling', 'waste materials', and 'environment'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'tackle with this problem' (should be 'tackle this problem') and 'non decomposing items' (should be 'non-biodegradable items'). To achieve a higher score, aim to incorporate more precise, less common vocabulary and ensure collocations are natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'people are tend to' (should be 'people tend to'), 'not aware about' (should be 'not aware of'), and 'kinds of waste can be recycled' (should be 'kinds of waste that can be recycled'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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