Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-29

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.

To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

It is undeniable that pollution has become a pensive concern in the modern era. In this regards, some people believe that not enough of the waste is being recycled from the houses whereas, other say that only way to incline recycling is for the government to make it legal requirement. I agree to a large extent with this notion due to many reasons which will outline in forthcoming fragments with a logical conclusion.

To commence with, there are several laws in the country made by the government for the benefits of the people to make the country clean by recycling the waste. Firstly, fear of fines is the primary laws for the people made by the governments to follow the rules made for the recycling of the waste. To explain it, many individuals don not follow the laws may be fined for their action, and if the government make priority to follow recycling so people of the economy will face a lot of difficulties. Secondly, it will help to reduce the level of pollution. To elaborate it, the reduction of plastic bags and items made plastic and shifting to use of paper or cloth bags will positively impact the economy. For example, in many developed cities the color coded dustbins are attached to differ the waste easily. Moreover, this must create a responsibility among the pupils of the country to recycle the waste and reduce the amount of the waste and will prove a sense of responsibility towards people.

However, strict laws are made by the government to reduce the waste and increase the level of recycling. First and foremost is that make aware to people in small towns and villages by conducing survey, public awareness camps, and if laws are made it is compulsory for the government to make people aware of it.

To conclude, although there are several benefits in favor of law of the government by organizing awareness camps, surveys. Government laws are necessary to encourage people to recycle move effectively and protect the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the necessity of government laws for recycling. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you mention the 'fear of fines' and 'reducing pollution,' the arguments are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the second paragraph attempts to explain the benefits of recycling but becomes slightly confused when discussing the economy and 'color coded dustbins.' To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-supported point that directly answers the 'to what extent' aspect of the question. Your position is clear, but the supporting evidence could be more specific and logically connected to the main argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'To commence with' and 'To elaborate it.' There are also issues with referencing; for example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt, and the final conclusion does not fully synthesize the points made earlier. The flow of ideas is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logical progression of your argument. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring they are used in the correct context would improve the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of incorrect word choice and collocation. For example, 'pensive concern' is misused (pensive means thoughtful, not serious/pressing), and 'incline recycling' should be 'increase recycling.' You also use 'pupils' to refer to citizens, which is inaccurate in this context. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'color coded dustbins' and 'public awareness,' the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, focus on using words that are more precise and appropriate for an academic essay, and pay closer attention to collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'other say,' 'government make priority'), incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'in this regards'), and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'fear of fines is the primary laws'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence structure and proofreading for common grammatical slips will significantly improve your score.

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