Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-13

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 argue that waste is not being recycled properly from homes and the only way to increase recycling is that law must be made by the authorities. I completely agree with this view because it will create a fear among people and it will also help in making a habit in an individual.

State imposing law to throw the trash in recycled-coded shoppers so that it can be reused, otherwise the person will face heavy fine if not done properly. This is because imposing stricter policies will create a fear among individuals and they tend to follow it effectively. As a consequence, the waste from the homes will be recycled properly and that will help to keep the environment untidy and clean. For example, in the United Kindgom, if people donot throw recycled waste then they will have to face heavy fine as it is legal requirement overthere.

Making it a legal requirement helps an individual to do since day one, because they tend to follow it as a habit. The primary reason for that is government will investigate each and every day that either it is followed or not, and this thorough inspection helps people to stay grounded and follow the rules. Consequently, it will increase recycling and eventually become an everyday practice in a person. For instance, Germany is famous for its environmental sustainability as since many years people are recycling product in a way that it has become a custom.

In conclusion, I totally agree with this statement that it should be a legal requirement to recycle the waste because it will create terror in the public to follow the rules, and on the other hand it helps to build a habit within an individual.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt directly, presenting a clear position that laws and legal requirements are necessary to increase home waste recycling. The writer supports this position with two main arguments: creating a deterrent through fines and fostering sustainable habits over time. Relevant examples, such as referencing the United Kingdom and Germany, are provided to support these ideas. However, the development of ideas leans towards repetition, and some supporting points are somewhat generalized or simplistic. For instance, the phrase 'keep the environment untidy and clean' contains a direct contradiction ('untidy and clean'). While all parts of the prompt are addressed and a consistent position is maintained throughout, the depth of extension places this response comfortably at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a generally coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the deterrent effect of fines versus the habit-forming aspect of government inspections. However, cohesion at the sentence level is frequently faulty or mechanical. The writer relies heavily on basic transitional phrases like 'This is because', 'As a consequence', and 'For example', and some cohesive devices are used inaccurately, such as 'either it is followed or not'. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in phrases like 'an everyday practice in a person'. These issues prevent the response from achieving a higher band, making Band 6.0 an accurate reflection of the organizational skills shown.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'environmental sustainability', 'thorough inspection', and 'legal requirement'. However, there are notable inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word formation throughout the text. Examples include 'recycled-coded shoppers' instead of recycling bags, 'heavy fine' missing the plural article ('a heavy fine'), and the paradoxical phrase 'untidy and clean'. Spelling is generally acceptable, but lexical inaccuracies cause occasional strain for the reader and prevent the response from reaching Band 7.0. The vocabulary used is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination and relative clauses, such as 'which is famous for its environmental sustainability as since many years people are recycling...'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including missing articles ('face heavy fine', 'become a custom'), incorrect prepositions ('since many years' instead of 'for many years'), and awkward syntactic structures ('State imposing law to throw the trash'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to preclude a Band 6.5 or 7.0, matching the characteristics of Band 5.5 where a limited range of structures and frequent errors persist.

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

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