Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-16

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 should recycle their trash as much as they can, because it will lead to reducing the hazardous consequences of its deposition on the environment.

The primary reason to support this initiative is that recycling of waste plays a vital role in reducing the emergence of pollutants in the ecosystem. A low recycling rate will lead to the concern of contaminants in the ecosystem which could lead to the rise in the level of pollution. This is followed by causing various severe illnesses including hepatitis and lung carcinoma. In fact, studies have observed a sharp decline in food-borne and water-borne diseases in countries that have implemented trash recycling rules and regulations.

The second motive to favor this stance is that recycling will also lead to the development of more local products which will be beneficial for the country's economy as well. Additionally, people can utilize recycled output material to synthesize new plastic bottles, shirts, and other essential equipment, at low cost.

To enhance the rate of recycling, regulatory authorities should introduce laws and plans to attract people more towards recycling their rubbish. The government can install recycling plants at every street corner which will also assist the people and reduce the commuting cost. In addition to this, companies should encourage their production units to increase the use of recycled materials. The majority of the countries that have focused on the use of recycled ash as input material have experienced more profit with almost similar products. Although, recycled inputs have some drawbacks regarding the quality of products, their eco-friendly nature has outweighed them.

Overall, trash recycling is essential for maintaining the health of the environment. As far as I am concerned, major issues related to healthcare have arisen due to the contamination and low recycling rate. However, recycled inputs are not as good as natural materials but that can be ignored while considering the benefits of recycled raw materials.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt well, exploring the reasons why people do not recycle as much as they could and suggesting viable solutions. Your position is clear from the beginning and maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are extended and supported, such as discussing pollutants in the ecosystem and suggesting that regulatory authorities install recycling plants at every street corner. However, some arguments in the second body paragraph slightly conflate economic development with the act of recycling itself, tending to overgeneralize. Overall, all parts of the task are well-covered, meeting the criteria for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from introduction to causes, economic benefits, solutions, and a final conclusion. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'The primary reason', 'Additionally', and 'To enhance the rate of recycling'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. While referencing is generally clear, occasional mechanical transitions prevent the essay from reaching higher band levels. Nevertheless, the logical flow is well-maintained, justifying a Band 7.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, such as 'hazardous consequences', 'ecosystem', 'lung carcinoma', and 'regulatory authorities'. Less common lexical items are used with some awareness of style and collocation, like 'food-borne and water-borne diseases'. However, there are some minor vocabulary inaccuracies and slight awkwardness in phrasing, such as 'utilize recycled output material to synthesize new plastic bottles' and 'recycled ash as input material'. These do not impede communication, placing your lexical resource firmly at Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or relative clauses such as 'which could lead to the rise in the level of pollution' and 'countries that have implemented trash recycling rules'. There is a good degree of control over grammar and punctuation. While there are a few minor punctuation slips and slightly awkward syntactic choices—such as 'Although, recycled inputs have some drawbacks... their eco-friendly nature has outweighed them'—these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication, supporting a Band 7.0 score.

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

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