Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-18

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)

Some people believe that more waste from homes should be recycled. And to do this there is only one way, that is to make it a legal requirement, I believe with this to large extent but only this cannot be the solution. If every good thing needs to be legalized in order to get followed, it is not good sign. We should also add these topics in education.

One key reason why voluntary approaches alone often fail because of human behaviour. Humans tend to not follow anything until it becomes compulsory for them, this is how human brain works. Just printing posters about waste recycle has never been enough for us to follow it. Indian NGO's and government tried at so many occasions with this approach, like blue can and green can waste in 2017, but it never worked out.

With making it a legal requirement we can take penalties on these actions. When there is cost on not recycling the waste, people tend to change their habits quickly. This also helps government collect funds. For example, Somalia approved this rule in 2021, In just 3 years their cleanness quality index improved by nearly 25.

This looks great on paper that we will take penalties from people who don't recycle their waste but in practical it is not that simple. we can't go check dustbins of everyone by going into their homes. Only law is not enough, we need to put benefits of waste recycle in education and also bring this topic in public events so audience becomes aware about this.

Overall, what I can say is we need to make it a legal requirement and also bring awareness about this in education to raise awareness about this.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, presenting a clear position that legislation is necessary but insufficient on its own. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of human behavior and the limitations of enforcement. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the example of Somalia is specific, the argument regarding the practical difficulties of enforcement (checking dustbins) is a strong point that could have been expanded further. The conclusion is a bit repetitive, restating the introduction without adding new depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explored with more nuanced reasoning rather than relying on brief assertions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central focus. There is a progression of ideas from the necessity of law to the practical limitations and the need for education. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'this' to start sentences or refer to previous ideas. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'nevertheless') to better connect the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the distinct stages of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'compulsory' and 'legal requirement', which are used correctly. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simple phrasing. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'take penalties on these actions' (should be 'impose penalties') and 'cleanness quality index' (should be 'cleanliness index'). To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the' missing before 'government'), subject-verb agreement ('NGO's and government tried'), and punctuation (comma splices in the first paragraph). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'I believe with this to large extent'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. A greater focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and sentence structure variety would be beneficial.

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

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