Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-06

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 the contemporary era, it is frequently observed that people are unable to recycle their waste into something useful. This is mainly because they do not have proper knowledge and awareness. However, authorities can take some initiatives to address this issue.

The primary reason why residents do not reuse their rubbish as much as they should is because they do not have a specific understanding about the products that can be used again or which items can be made into something more useful. As a result, they throw away all the waste into the bin. For example, if individuals are aware of the items that can be used again into something meaningful, they might not dispose of those items into the garbage.

To combat this issue, there are several measures which can be done by governments. The prominent one is that awareness campaigns can be launched by creating a website online or a social media page. To explain, it is easy to access information from the internet, if they are particularly posted on an official website or a social media account. This is because the information provided can be trusted, owing to the fact that it is directly coming from the government. For instance, on social media the volunteers can show the residents how to recycle empty big containers into something useful such as how to grow plants in them instead of using a pot.

In conclusion, people often fail to recycle their rubbish because of a lack of awareness. Furthermore, this problem can be addressed by raising public awareness among the citizens of the country.

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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention a lack of awareness as the primary reason, the explanation remains repetitive, focusing heavily on the same point throughout the body paragraphs. To reach a higher band, you should expand on other factors, such as the lack of convenient infrastructure or the cost of recycling programs. The conclusion is also quite brief and merely restates the introduction rather than synthesising the main points effectively. Further elaboration on the 'how' and 'why' would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason', 'As a result', and 'To combat this issue' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, particularly the use of 'To explain' and 'This is because'. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to avoid repeating the same nouns. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, but the cohesion lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contemporary era', 'initiatives', and 'prominent'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat basic and repetitive. For example, you use the word 'useful' multiple times in close proximity, which limits the precision of your writing. There are also some minor collocation issues, such as 'reuse their rubbish' (usually 'recycle' or 'repurpose') and 'made into something more useful'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to environmental sustainability and waste management to show greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'if individuals are aware of the items that can be used again... they might not dispose of those items'. While most of your sentences are understandable, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'there are several measures which can be done' (measures are usually 'taken' or 'implemented') and 'the information provided can be trusted, owing to the fact that it is directly coming from the government'. These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more control over complex structures and prepositional usage.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.