Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-16

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 6.0)

In recent societies, matter of recycling domestic waste is extensively debated. Some people think that governments should make it a legal requirement, while others argue that public can be encouraged without implementing laws. In my opinion government should emphasize importance of recycling rather than making laws.

I believe, a larger proportion of public is not aware of the methods to recycle household waste and its advantages. That is why, they need to be educated in this regard instead of making laws. This can be done by introducing awareness campaigns, education programs, and advertisements focusing on teaching effective ways to recycle wastes and their fruitful outcomes. in this way, individuals will understand its benefits for sustainability of the environment and get financial benefits entirely from their house wastes without investing money. Consequently, They will be encouraged and participate willingly without enforcing laws. In addition, governments can introduce incentive-based national competitions for suggesting best ways to recycle domestic waster materials. In this way, public will not only motivated for recycling but will also present innovative methods of recycling their homes' wastes.

In contrast, some people argue that only small proportion of people is participating in recycling domestic wastes by their own. To impose it on a larger extent governments need to make and implement laws. They think that people follow rules and regulations to avoid punishments. So, this is the only way to make participation of individuals nationwide.

In conclusion, although, laws allow individuals to follow rules, recycling domestic waste materials can be emphasized by making them well educated about recycling ways and its advantages in terms of finance as well as for the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas are relevant, focusing on education and incentives as alternatives to legislation. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the argument regarding 'financial benefits' from household waste is vague and could have been better supported with concrete examples. While the opposing view is acknowledged, the discussion remains somewhat general. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more specific, real-world examples of how education or incentive programs have successfully increased recycling rates in certain regions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two sides of the argument. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Consequently', and 'In contrast' are used to guide the reader through your points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the use of 'in this way' repeated twice in the second paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'sustainability', 'incentive-based', and 'innovative'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'matter of recycling' (should be 'the matter of') and 'house wastes' (should be 'household waste'). Additionally, there are minor errors in word choice, such as 'public will not only motivated' (missing the auxiliary verb 'be'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on collocations and more academic phrasing will help improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('In recent societies, matter of recycling...' should be 'the matter of'), subject-verb agreement issues ('public will not only motivated' should be 'the public will not only be motivated'), and punctuation errors (e.g., 'In conclusion, although, laws...'). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on proofreading for articles, verb forms, and consistent punctuation.

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

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