Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
It is widely observed that the rate at which the waste is being recycled by individuals does not meet their potential. This essay will discuss the reason behind this and steps that can be taken to improve it.
There is no denying to the fact that we are now living a very fast paced life. The masses generally find the process of recycling time consuming and exhaustive as there are easier alternatives already conveniently available. To explain this consider an example of a plastic water bottle. In order to recycle is it would need to be thoroughly washed and sanitised to be repurposed to make ice. However, with convenient online shopping options and busier life styles people feel they would be better off ordering online instead of spending time doing diy activities.
Inevitably a shift in mind set would help in bringing motivation to recycle. Governments can place material wise categorized bin in which people could dump their waste. After collecting the waste in a huge scale an area wise competition could be held monthly where people would receive prizes based on what they are able to produce from the rubbish. This will cause public awareness on the how well waste can be repurposed and how the process is theraeputic. As a result, reinforce the habit of recycling.
In conclusion, busier lifestyle is a significant factor in causing a decline in peoples recycling habits. A collaborative effort by the government and local citizens in demonstrating the effects effects and significance of waste recycling could lead to more people taking out the time for it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
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 'fast-paced life' and the suggestion of community-based competitions. However, the development is somewhat limited. The example of washing a plastic bottle to make ice is a bit unconventional and does not fully capture the broader systemic issues of recycling. To reach a higher band, the ideas need to be more thoroughly extended with more logical, real-world examples. The position is clear throughout, but the depth of analysis remains at a basic level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. There is a progression of ideas from the problem to the solution. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To explain this', 'Inevitably', and 'In conclusion', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the connection between the 'fast-paced life' and the specific example of repurposing bottles could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the flow of information is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common items like 'repurposed', 'collaborative', and 'significant factor'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'material wise categorized bin' (should be 'categorized bins for different materials') and 'collecting the waste in a huge scale' (should be 'on a large scale'). There are also minor spelling errors like 'theraeputic'. While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'There is no denying to the fact' (should be 'There is no denying the fact'), 'is it would need' (a typo), and 'peoples recycling habits' (missing apostrophe). Additionally, 'effects effects' is a repetition error. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over punctuation and articles is inconsistent, which limits the overall accuracy of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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