Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-12

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)

Nowadays, environmental worries are becoming a worldwide concern, with many individuals choosing to recycle, others believe that recycling is not enogh and we should aim for less consumption of harmful waste. I strongly believe that recycling is not enough and more steps should be taken to ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone. This essay will discuss both views while weighing in with my opinion.

Many individuals choose to recycle while actively producing the same amount of harmeful waste. Arguing that recycling is enough due to the ecological benefit produced compared to the past. For instance, rates of deforstation have dropped significantly due to paper recycling compared to the past. Moreover, many individuals state that recycling is becoming a very common habit and thus it's the only necessary step to save the environment.

On the other hand, while recycling has been proven to be beneficial, it's not enough. Many ecosystems are still threatened even with the high rates of recyling. For instance, scientists warn that the Great Barrier Reef remains highly volatile and under pressure despite many recycling efforts done to improve it. Additionally, performing simple tasks such as switching to recycled paper bags instead of plastic bags or the act of segregating trash are seemingly effortless but yeild noticeable results on the environment. Furthermore, governments can implement new reguations and fines regarding garbage segregation to encourage people to care more for the environment.

In summary, I absolutely believe that recycling is crucial and very benificial for the environment. However, more efforts should be taken and implemented to maintain a healthy environment for all living beings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the view that recycling is sufficient and the view that we need to consume less, while also providing a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The position is stated in the introduction and reinforced in the conclusion. However, some ideas lack full development. For instance, the second body paragraph contains a sentence fragment ("Arguing that recycling is enough due to the ecological benefit produced compared to the past.") and the discussion regarding consumption could be elaborated further with more depth. Despite these minor limitations in development, the main components of the task are adequately covered, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is generally coherent with a clear overall structure, featuring an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct views. Cohesive devices are employed, such as "On the other hand," "For instance," and "Furthermore." However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty; for example, the second body paragraph starts with a dependent clause punctuated as a complete sentence ("Arguing that recycling is enough..."), which disrupts the logical flow. Additionally, transitions between sentences can feel slightly mechanical. Overall organisation is clear enough to earn a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using topic-specific terms like "ecological benefit," "deforestation," "ecosystems," and "segregating trash." However, there are several spelling errors throughout the response, such as "enogh" instead of "enough," "harmeful" instead of "harmful," "deforstation" instead of "deforestation," "recyling" instead of "recycling," "yeild" instead of "yield," and "reguations" instead of "regulations." While these do not heavily impede communication, the frequency of spelling mistakes and some minor collocation limitations prevent the lexical score from reaching a higher band. It fits comfortably at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at varied structures. However, there are notable grammatical errors and punctuation issues. Most prominently, there is a sentence fragment in the second body paragraph ("Arguing that recycling is enough due to the ecological benefit produced compared to the past."). Other issues include run-on structures and incorrect punctuation attached to conjunctions ("with many individuals choosing to recycle, others believe..."). While simple sentences are generally accurate and complex structures are attempted, the frequency of grammatical and punctuation errors pulls the overall rating down to Band 5.5.

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

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