Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-02

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)

There is an ongoing debate about whether recycling is enough to help the environment, or if reduce consume would be more sustainable. Even though both views have valid arguments, I believe that the best solution for this matter is not only to do recycle, but to reduce the overall waste that consume goods companies produce.

The main reason more and more people are choosing to recycle is that they argue they are doing their part as an individual. This is a good initiative, however, unfortunately by itself does not solve the environmental concerns. For example, Japan has the biggest reciclying program in the world, and still face the problem of producing more rubbish than what they can recycle.

Other people agree that consuming less is the main point to be more eco-friendly. They mainly argue that when people consume less, they will produce fewer waste. The EUA, for example, are the biggest consumers in the world, and as such, they produce more rubbish than any other country. The problem with this suggestion is that the major waster producer is the big companies. Even if people start to consume less, if the large producers do not change the chain production, the waste will remain the same.

In my option, the government should bear the primary responsability and introduce laws to minimize the waste produced by companies. For example, there are islands of new cloths in the ocean that were thrown away by cloth factories because they could not sell it. If the change are made in the beggining of the chain, and the individuals follow with recycling and consuming consiently, the envoriment issues would be solved.

To conclude, the individual must do their part by thinking consiently and reciclying, but the mainly responsibility should be given to the consume goods companies.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. You have successfully identified the two main perspectives: the role of individual recycling and the necessity of reduced consumption. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, such as the mention of Japan's recycling program and the impact of large-scale manufacturing. However, the development of the argument regarding government responsibility could be more nuanced. While you mention that companies are the primary waste producers, the link between government legislation and the actual reduction of consumer waste could be more explicitly detailed to reach a higher band. Overall, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'For example,' 'However,' and 'To conclude' effectively. However, there are instances where the flow is slightly mechanical, and some transitions between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the discussion of individual consumption and the role of large companies could be better linked to improve the overall progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'sustainable,' 'initiative,' and 'environmental concerns.' However, there are several spelling errors ('reciclying,' 'responsability,' 'consiently,' 'envoriment') and word choice issues ('reduce consume' instead of 'reducing consumption,' 'major waster producer' instead of 'major waste producer'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not impede overall communication. To improve, focus on accuracy in spelling and ensure that word forms (nouns vs. verbs) are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('the EUA... are,' 'the major waster producer is the big companies') and incorrect phrasing ('if the change are made'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction that prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The use of complex structures is evident, but the accuracy of these structures needs improvement to ensure that the meaning is always conveyed precisely without grammatical interference.

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

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