Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-17

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)

It is an undeniable fact that pollution is increasing on daily basis. Some people deem that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled and its requires governments law for it. According to my perspective, it is any individual duty to take care that the waste is recycle properly. In the below paragraphs, I would like to put forth my views with valid opnions in the conclusion.

To begin with, recycling is the process of converting a waste material into useful product or item. Additionally, recycling can help to reduce the amount of waste which is produced by households. If governments make strict laws for recycling, people may become more responsible towards their waste. For example, governments can make a rule that every house should separate plastic, paper and food waste into different dustbins. If people do not follow these rules, they can be given a small fine. This can encourage people to recycle more waste and keep their surroundings clean.

On the other hand, I believe that laws are not the only solution to increase recycling. Individuals should also understand their responsibility towards the environment. Many people do not recycle because they do not have enough knowledge about its importance. Therefore, governments should organise awareness programmes in schools, colleges and local areas. For instance, people can be taught how plastic waste affects animals, water and the environment. Such awareness can make people more interested in recycling without forcing them.

In conclusion, I believe that governments should make some strict laws for recycling, but laws alone cannot solve this problem. It is also the responsibility of every individual to recycle their household waste properly. If both governments and citizens work together, the amount of waste can be reduced and the environment can become cleaner.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that both legal requirements and public awareness are necessary. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the suggestion of fines for non-compliance and educational programs in schools. However, the development is somewhat basic. To reach a higher band, the arguments could be extended further by discussing the potential drawbacks of legislation or the long-term societal impact of these measures. The introduction is slightly repetitive and contains minor errors in expression, but the overall stance remains consistent throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. While the progression of ideas is clear, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is slightly mechanical. The use of referencing is generally accurate, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to improve the overall flow. Overall, the structure is coherent and supports the development of the argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'converting', 'households', and 'awareness programmes'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies, such as 'its requires governments law' (should be 'it requires government legislation') and 'valid opnions' (spelling error). To improve, the student should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary to avoid repetition of basic terms like 'make' or 'waste'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'pollution is increasing on daily basis' (missing article), 'it is any individual duty' (should be 'every individual's duty'), and 'the waste is recycle properly' (should be 'recycled'). These errors are frequent but do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, the student needs to demonstrate better control over articles, subject-verb agreement, and passive voice constructions, while increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences.

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

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