Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-30

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, a large amount of rubbish is not recycled, even though recycling can reduce pollution and protect natural resources. There are several reasons why people do not recycle as much as they could, but governments and individuals can take practical steps to improve the situation.

One major reason is a lack of awareness. Many people do not fully understand the environmental consequences of throwing recyclable materials into general waste. For example, plastic bottles, paper and cans can often be recycled, but people may simply put them in the same bin because they do not know how or where to recycle them. Another important factor is convenience. If recycling bins are not easily available, people are less likely to separate their rubbish. In addition, some people believe that recycling takes extra time and effort, particularly when they are not given clear instructions.

There are several ways to encourage people to recycle more. First, governments should provide separate recycling bins in residential areas, schools, offices and public places. These bins should be clearly labelled so that people can easily identify which materials belong in each one. Second, schools and media campaigns can educate the public about the long-term effects of waste and the benefits of recycling. Financial incentives could also be effective. For instance, governments could introduce deposit-refund schemes in which people receive a small amount of money when they return plastic bottles or cans.

In my experience, people are much more likely to recycle when the process is simple and convenient. For example, if separate bins are placed next to ordinary rubbish bins, people can easily sort their waste without making a special effort.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly explaining both the reasons why people do not recycle as much as they could and suggesting practical solutions to change this. Your position is well-maintained throughout the essay. For the causes, you appropriately highlight a lack of awareness and inconvenience, providing relevant supporting details such as throwing recyclable materials into general waste. For the solutions, you present actionable measures including providing separate bins, educational campaigns, and financial incentives like deposit-refund schemes. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, demonstrating a clear understanding of the prompt. Overall, your handling of the task meets the criteria for a strong band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

Your essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a clear introduction, followed by well-defined body paragraphs dedicated to causes and solutions respectively, and concluding with a relevant personal perspective. Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader through your arguments, as seen with transition markers like 'One major reason', 'Another important factor', 'First', and 'Second'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring that ideas are grouped logically. The progression of thought from identifying the problems to offering structured solutions is smooth and easy to follow, representing solid cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision, enabling you to discuss environmental issues comfortably. You successfully use less common items and thematic collocations with an appropriate academic tone, such as 'environmental consequences', 'residential areas', and 'deposit-refund schemes'. While the vocabulary is mostly accurate and natural, there are occasional instances where words could be elevated for greater sophistication. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. The lexical range is adequate to convey precise meanings throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The response displays a good variety of complex structures used alongside simple sentences, yielding frequent error-free sentences. You successfully incorporate dependent clauses and conditional structures, such as 'even though recycling can reduce pollution', 'If recycling bins are not easily available', and 'when they receive a small amount of money'. Control of grammar and punctuation is good throughout the text, with only minor lapses that do not interfere with understanding. The majority of your complex sentence forms are accurate, reflecting a solid command of grammatical control appropriate for this level.

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