Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-11

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, environmental issues have become major concern. Despite the growing awareness of recycling, many individuals still do not recycle their household waste as much as they could. This essay will examine the primary reasons for this trend and suggest some practical solutions to encourage more recycling.

There are two main reasons why people fail to recycle efficiently. Firstly, major obstacle is the lack of convenience and proper infrastructure. In many neighborhoods, there are not enough separate recycling bins, or the recycling centers are located too far away. This makes a process time consuming and troublesome, so people prefer to throw all their rubbish into standard waste bins. Secondly, a lack of rubbish awareness and clear education plays significant role. Many citizens do not know exactly which materials can be recycled or how to separate them properly. Without clear guidelines from local authorities, individuals often feel confused and lose motivation to participate.

To tackle this problem, governments and local authorities must take active steps. The most effective solution is to improve the recycling infrastructure. Governments should place clearly labeled recycling bins in every residential area and public space. Making recycling as easy and accessible as regular disposal will naturally encourage participation. Furthermore, authorities should introduce public educational campaigns and incentive programs. For example, schools can teach children how to soft waste, and supermarkets can offer financial rewards, such as small discounts or cash returns, for recycling plastic bottles.

In conclusion, lack of accessibility and insufficient education are the main reasons why recycling rates remain low. However, by investing in better facilities and motivating the public through education and incentives, societies can successfully increase recycling habits.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified two distinct reasons—lack of infrastructure and lack of education—and provided corresponding solutions for each. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are well-developed with relevant examples, such as the mention of supermarkets offering financial rewards. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your ideas by discussing the potential impact of these solutions or addressing potential counter-arguments, which would demonstrate a more sophisticated level of task development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat standard and occasionally mechanical. To improve, try to integrate more varied linking phrases and ensure that referencing between sentences is seamless to achieve a more natural flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'infrastructure', 'residential area', and 'incentive programs' appropriately. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'how to soft waste' (likely meant 'sort waste') and 'major concern' (missing an article: 'a major concern'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the range of less common or idiomatic expressions required for higher bands. Focusing on precise collocations and more sophisticated synonyms will help elevate your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your meaning is consistently clear. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as missing articles ('major obstacle' should be 'a major obstacle'; 'plays significant role' should be 'plays a significant role'). These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. To improve, aim for greater variety in your complex sentence structures—such as using more conditional clauses or passive voice constructions—and ensure consistent attention to article usage and subject-verb agreement.

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

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