Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-08

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 6.5)

In many countries ,people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could .There are several reasons for this , and some simple steps can be taken to improve the situation .

One main reason is that many people do not know how important recycling is . They may not understand how recycling can protect the environment . Another reason is that recycling bins are not available in every year . Some people also find it difficult or inconvenient to seperate different types of waste at home. In addition ,people maybe too busy or simply have no interest in recycling .

There are several ways to encourage people to recycle more . First ,governments should provide recycling bins in public places and residential areas . They should also educate people .For example ,children can be taught from a young age how to seperate plastic , glass and food waste .This can help them develop good habits .

Furthermore ,governments could give rewards to people who recycle regularly . They could also introduce fines for people who throw recyclable rubbish in general waste bins . Companies should also reduce the use of plastic packaging and use environmentally friendly materials . .Public campaigns can also encourage people to understand their responsibility towards the environment

In conclusion , people do not recycle enough mainly because of a lack of knowledge and convenient recycling facilities .Governments, schools and companies should work together to make recycling easier and encourage people to protect the environment .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, covering lack of awareness, infrastructure issues, and convenience. While the points are clear, they are somewhat brief and could benefit from more detailed explanation or specific real-world examples to reach a higher band. For instance, the point about 'lack of knowledge' is a good start but could be expanded to explain why this persists in modern society. Overall, the response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'One main reason', 'Another reason', 'First', and 'Furthermore' are used to link sentences and paragraphs. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the use of punctuation around these devices could be improved. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the development of the argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'people' and 'recycling'. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'environmentally friendly materials' and 'residential areas', the range is somewhat limited. There are minor errors, such as 'every year' instead of 'every area', which suggests a slip in word choice. To improve, the student should aim for more varied synonyms and precise collocations to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear, and the meaning is never in doubt. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as 'people maybe too busy' (should be 'may be') and 'seperate' (spelling error). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some inconsistent spaces before commas. The student demonstrates a reasonable command of grammar, but the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the use of varied subordinate clauses and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement would help elevate the score.

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