Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-03

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 6.5)

Environmental protection has become global priority, leading many people to recycle household waste and reusable materials. While recycling undoubtedly plays an important role in reducing pollution, others argue that it cannot solve environmental problems on its own and that people should consume fewer products. I believe that although recycling is essential, reducing consumption is a far more effective long-term soultion.

On the one hand, recycling offers significant environmental benefits. It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, conserves natural resources and lowers energy consumption during manufacturing. For example, recycling aluminium uses around 95% less energy than producing it from raw materials. Similarly, countries such as Germany have achieved recycling rates exceeding 60% through well-developed waste management systems. These efforts reduced llandfill waste and encouraged citizens to adopt more environmentally responsible habits.

On the other hand, many experts believe that recycling alone cannot keep pace with increasing levels of consumption. Modern lifestyles encourage people to buy new clothes, electronic devices and plastic-packaged products more frequently than ever before. As a result, enormous quantities of waste continue to be generated despite improved recycling systems. A clear example is the fast-fashion industry, where brands release new collections every few weeks, encouraging consumers to purchase more than they actually need. Likewise, millions of tonnes of plastic still enter the world's oceans annually because production continues to rise faster than recycling capacity.

In conclusion, although recycling remains an essential part of environmental protection, I strongly believe that consuming less is a more effective solution. Combining responsible consumption with efficient recycling systems offers the best opportunity to preserve natural resources and protect the planet for future generations

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the importance of recycling and the necessity of reducing consumption. You have maintained a clear position throughout, explicitly stating in the introduction that reducing consumption is a more effective long-term solution. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the comparison between recycling efficiency and the systemic issue of fast-fashion consumption. The arguments are supported by relevant examples, such as the energy savings in aluminium recycling and the impact of the fashion industry. The response is balanced and directly answers the prompt's requirement to discuss both views and provide an opinion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two viewpoints is smooth, utilizing appropriate cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points and reinforces your position. The use of referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural throughout the text. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different stages of the argument, ensuring the reader can follow your logic without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'environmentally responsible habits', 'keep pace with', and 'systemic'. The word choice is generally precise and appropriate for an academic context. There are very few errors, such as the minor typo 'soultion' and 'llandfill', which do not impede communication. You successfully use topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental issues, which enhances the quality of your writing. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions to further demonstrate flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of concessive clauses ('Although recycling remains...') and conditional-like logic. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is strong. While there are minor slips, such as the missing article in 'become global priority' (should be 'a global priority'), these are rare and do not affect the clarity of your message. Your grammatical control is consistent, and you demonstrate the ability to construct complex arguments with accuracy.

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