Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-13

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 the contemporary era, numerous individuals are not paying much attention towards the recycling methods. It is a serious issue. However, I agree with this sentiment as various people dispose of their plastic wastes randomly alongside the roads which contributes to polluting the environment.

On the one hand, individuals are using non-recyclable items which considerably affects the environment. Because of the fast-paced lifestyle, they do not have sufficient time for recycling and therefore, simply dispose of their plastic materials such as plastic water bottles, wrappers directly on the roads especially near the bus stands, railway station. Moreover, lack of awareness is another primary reason. They do not have valuable knowledge how to reuse such products. For instance, there are huge accumulation of plastic waste in delhi which gradually become a waste mountain. This not only affect the environment but also cause negative consequences on human's health.

What effective measures should be taken to tackling this issue? First of all, Government should make stringent legislation for addressing this issue. There should be an organisation of awareness campaign which should provide comprehensive education to general public related to recycling methods as well as adverse consequences of plastic waste. In addition to this, government should implement on punitive measures against those who discard their waste particularly in public areas. Hence, rehabilitation programmes and vocational training is necessary for mitigating the issue.

In conclusion, plastic waste is increasing day by day in an uncontrolled manner because of lack of awareness in public. However, I believe that awareness campaigns and comprehensive education plays an integral role in rectifying the issue.

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 the lack of time due to fast-paced lifestyles and the need for government legislation. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The explanation regarding 'waste mountains' in Delhi is a good specific example, but the discussion on solutions is slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on 'awareness' in both the third and fourth paragraphs. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully explored with distinct supporting details rather than restating the same concepts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'this issue' appearing frequently without always clearly linking back to the specific preceding thought. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'stringent legislation' and 'mitigating the issue.' However, there are also some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'dispose of their plastic wastes randomly' (should be 'indiscriminately') and 'there are huge accumulation' (should be 'there is a huge accumulation'). The range is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'do not have valuable knowledge how to reuse' (missing 'on'), 'this not only affect' (subject-verb agreement error: 'affects'), and 'government should implement on punitive measures' (unnecessary preposition). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in article usage and pluralization. The majority of sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these small errors prevents a higher score.

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

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