Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-19

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)

It is true that recycling is promoted more in todays world is many people think that recycling is not enough and should be something more than that. Also believes that we should consume less.

On the one hand, recycling is an important way of protecting the environment. When materials such as paper, glass, plastic and metal are recycled, fewer natural resources are required to produce new goods. Recycling can also reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and, in some cases, lower the energy needed for manufacturing. For example, recycling aluminum requires considerably less energy than producing aluminum from raw materials. Furthermore, recycling encourages people to think about the environmental consequences of their daily habits and can help create a culture of environmental responsibility.

On the other hand, recycling does not address the problem of excessive consumption. Many products cannot be recycled indefinitely, while others require considerable energy and resources to collect, transport and process. More importantly, if people continue buying large quantities of unnecessary goods, recycling will only deal with the waste after it has already been created. For instance, buying several inexpensive items of clothing and frequently replacing them creates demand for more raw materials, water and energy, even if some of the discarded clothes are eventually recycled. Reducing consumption would therefore prevent waste and resource use at the source.

In my opinion, both approaches are necessary, but consuming less should receive greater attention. People can make a significant difference by purchasing durable products, repairing damaged items, reusing things and avoiding unnecessary purchases. Governments and businesses can also encourage this behavior by designing longer-lasting products and reducing excessive packaging. Recycling should remain an important part of environmental protection, but it should complement, rather than replace, efforts to reduce consumption.

In conclusion, recycling provides clear environmental benefits, particularly by reducing waste and conserving resources. Nevertheless, reducing unnecessary consumption tackles environmental damage at an earlier stage. Therefore, a combination of responsible consumption, reuse and effective recycling is the most sustainable approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on recycling and consumption, and presents a clear personal position throughout. In the body paragraphs, the student offers well-developed arguments for recycling, such as resource conservation and landfill reduction, alongside compelling points regarding the limitations of recycling and the necessity of reducing consumption at the source. The conclusion and introduction reinforce this well-rounded perspective. Ideas are logically extended and supported with relevant examples like aluminum production and clothing consumption. The position is fully articulated and maintained from the opening paragraph through to the final summary. This corresponds strongly to a Band 7.5 or Band 8 descriptor, and a band score of 7.5 is awarded.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to the arguments for recycling, the arguments for reducing consumption, the writer's perspective, and finally the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argumentation. Paragraphing is managed logically and appropriately. Although paragraph referencing and transitions are generally clear, occasional slight stiffness in sentence links prevents it from reaching the highest tier. Overall, the structural flow is robust, easily meeting the Band 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, employing less common items such as 'excessive consumption', 'indefinitely', 'raw materials', and 'sustainable approach'. Collocations are generally handled well, as seen in expressions like 'environmental responsibility' and 'consequences of their daily habits'. There are occasional slight awkwardness in phrasing, particularly in the introduction ('is many people think'), but this does not detract from the overall clarity. The student successfully uses appropriate vocabulary related to environmental issues throughout the essay, demonstrating a solid command of lexical resources appropriate for a Band 7 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a good variety of complex structures, including conditional or relative clauses like 'When materials such as paper, glass, plastic and metal are recycled...' and '...even if some of the discarded clothes are eventually recycled.' There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating good control of grammar and punctuation overall. However, there are a few noticeable grammatical slips and missing subjects in the introduction ('It is true that recycling is promoted more in todays world is many people think... Also believes that we should consume less'), which detract from complete accuracy. Despite these early minor errors, the sentence structures in the body paragraphs are controlled well enough to secure a solid band 6.5.

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