Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Concern for the environment is growing and more and more people are choosing to recycle. But some people suggest that recycling is not enough. They believe we need to consume less.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

A considerable number of individuals are opting for recycling as a way of reducing environmental pollution, while others are of the opinion that, recycling is not enough, but consuming less is much better. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my opinion that recycling is by far the greatest option as it does not offer limits in the use of certain products.

On the one hand, many people prefer recycling to curb increasing rate of environmental pollution. Wastes products are put into a recycling bin where sorting follows and the recylables wastes are taken to the factory to make other useful products. This lowers pollution rates and maintains a sustainable environment. For instance, plastics waste that could otherwise be left on land or burned can be recycled to make other products such as gumboots. Therefore, recycling is a major way of protecting the environment and ecosystem from contamination.

On the other hand, others contend that it is necessary to consume less rather than depending on recycling alone. Reducing usage of certain products for example plastic papers may limit individuals especially business owners and manufacturing companies. This reduces income generated from manufacture and sale of the plastic papers. Furthermore, business owners may not have enough packaging materials for their customers and hence plummets their sales. Therefore consuming less may not be a practical solution on the rising environmental issues.

In conclusion, although less usage of certain products helps in managing environmental pollution, recycling plays a major part. It not only reduces wastage but also prevents the damage of the environment

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a clear preference for recycling in the introduction, then return to that position in the conclusion. The recycling paragraph gives a relevant process and example, explaining how plastic waste can be turned into products such as gumboots. However, the discussion is uneven: the case for consuming less is mainly framed around possible harm to businesses, without considering how reduced consumption could directly prevent waste or resource use. The claim that recycling is “by far the greatest option” is also not fully supported, and the phrase “does not offer limits in the use of certain products” makes your position difficult to interpret. Develop both sides more evenly and explain why your preferred approach is more effective overall.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” makes the progression easy to follow, and examples are placed in the relevant paragraphs. This meets the expected level of coherent organisation. Some links between claims are less convincing, however: the point that reduced use may lower business income does not clearly establish that it is ineffective for addressing environmental problems. The conclusion also repeats the main contrast without resolving that reasoning. Use clearer cause-and-effect links and connect each example explicitly to the environmental argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “environmental pollution,” “sustainable environment,” “recycling bin,” and “manufacturing companies.” These choices allow you to discuss both environmental and economic effects, and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “contend” and “generated.” Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “Wastes products,” “recylables wastes,” “plastic papers,” and “plummets their sales.” Spelling errors such as “recylables” also reduce precision. Aim for natural combinations such as “waste products,” “recyclable waste,” “plastic packaging,” and “sales may fall,” and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses in “although less usage of certain products helps…” and a relative clause in “plastics waste that could otherwise be left on land or burned.” Most sentences communicate their main meaning, which shows a workable level of grammatical control. Some errors remain in sentence construction and punctuation. For example, the comma after “of the opinion that” is unnecessary, and “This reduces income generated from manufacture and sale…” needs clearer article use and a more complete grammatical pattern. In “hence plummets their sales,” the subject and clause structure are unclear. Review comma placement and build longer sentences around clearly stated subjects and verbs.

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