Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-15

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)

People do not recycle their wastes at full capacity in many countries. In my opinion, it is the government's fault that their citizens are unable to recycle their rubbish and it should take necesssary steps to ensure that people can contribute to the nation by recycling more waste instead of dumping it.

The main reason why people cannot recycle their garbage as much as they could, is the lack of necessary facilities. If the government of a particular nation has not enough amenities for its citizens to recycle waste, then citizens cannot participate in the recycling process. For instance, seperate dustbins are used in many countries so that citizens can throw recyclable wastes in a different bin than other wastes. Even though this process makes it easier for citizens to contribute in recycling, many countries do not have this facility. In these countries, many people want to help but they cannot do that because of the lack of seperate bins. Furthermore, sometimes the government lacks the funding required to make these necessary changes. Its budget is used in the defense and healthcare sector. Therefore, they cannot make improvements in the recycling procedure.

The most practical solution for governments is that, they can make recycling as easy as possible so that the ordinary people can also contribute in it. Seperate bins for different wastes is one of the methods in which people can very easily contribute to the nation. Some governments also organize e-waste collection campaigns frequently where citizens can give their electronic waste. This e-waste undergoes a different recyling process made specifically for electronic items. Furthermore, if people still fail to recycle their rubbish, governments should conduct seminars and make advertisements to spread awareness.

To conclude, poor facilities are the main reason why people cannot help in recycling process. It is up to the government to make necessary changes to make sure that citizens of the nation can help in recycling. Not only can the government provide required waste recycling facilities, it can also spread awareness among its citizens by conducting various seminars.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the task well, identifying lack of facilities and government funding as the causes, and proposing improved amenities, campaigns, and awareness seminars as solutions. The writer's position is clear throughout the essay. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of separate dustbins and e-waste collection campaigns. However, the reasoning tends to place 100 percent of the blame on the government ('it is the government's fault that their citizens are unable to recycle'), which is a slight over-generalisation that limits the nuance of the discussion. Overall, the task is successfully covered to meet the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction, causes, solutions, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively to connect ideas, such as 'For instance', 'Furthermore', and 'To conclude'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. While referencing is generally clear, some cohesive links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in their transition structures (e.g., repeatedly using 'Furthermore'). Nevertheless, cohesion is well managed, supporting a smooth reading experience that aligns well with the Band 7.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for the academic task, including terms like 'amenities', 'participate', 'procedure', and 'e-waste collection campaigns'. There are some less common lexical items attempted with reasonable awareness of collocation, though occasional inaccuracies occur, such as spelling 'necesssary' (corrected later) and 'recyling'. Phrasing like 'at full capacity' and 'ordinary people' is natural, but overall vocabulary control remains within a standard range rather than showing exceptional flexibility or precision. These minor spelling errors and typical word choices place the response firmly at Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures successfully ('If the government of a particular nation has not enough amenities... then citizens cannot participate') and relative clauses. There is generally good control of grammar and punctuation, and meaning is never obscured. However, minor errors do persist, such as 'has not enough amenities' (instead of 'does not have enough') and occasional awkward phrasing like 'contribute in it' instead of 'contribute to it'. Because there is a mix of complex structures alongside minor recurring grammatical slips, the response fits well into Band 6.5.

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

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