Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-17

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 correct that most waste from houses is not recycled which is not a much eco-friendly approach. I do think that laws should be established to some extents to make people recycle more of their house wastes. Waste management is very important in reducing pollution and managing the waste being generated on a daily basis.

Government should impose fines for people who are not throwing their waste that can be potentially recycled into the recycle bins installed by the government. There is a machine in Germany that collects empty plastic bottles and rewards you with money depending on the number of bottles you you put in that machine. This is a great initiative that more governments should take. This will encourage the citizens to mindfully throw their trash. There should be punishments and heavy fines for people who are polluting the land and water bodies. Use of stuff which isn't recyclable should be baned in countries. Many countries have banned plastic, instead of plastic bags or straws there are paper bags and straws that the citizens of those countries use. Other than that seminars should be held for public on the advantages of recycling wastes. Subjects regarding this matter should be made part of the school curriculum so this sense of being a good citizen can be instilled into young minds.

This helps with keeping the country more eco-friendly and this way many diseases that spread from toxic wastes can be avoided. So recycling should not only be done because of imposing laws but also be done at individual level by being mindful of the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you support laws to increase recycling, while concluding that individual responsibility matters too. You address the question with relevant measures, including fines, bottle-return rewards, restrictions on non-recyclable products, and public education. The Germany example also helps make one proposal concrete. This fully covers the task, and the range of relevant ideas shows some movement beyond a basic response. However, several points are asserted rather than explained: for example, you do not discuss how fines could be enforced or why education alone would be insufficient. The claim that many diseases can be avoided is also not developed. Explain the likely impact and limitations of your proposals to make the argument more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable progression: it introduces your position, presents possible government measures, and ends by linking recycling to environmental and personal responsibility. The ideas are generally relevant and understandable. However, most of the discussion is placed in one long body paragraph, so the different proposals and the concluding point are not clearly separated. Connections between ideas can also feel mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “There should” and “Other than that.” The final “This helps” has an unclear reference, as it is not immediately obvious whether it refers to laws, education, or recycling generally. Use separate paragraphs for enforcement, incentives and education, and make links between each proposal and its effect explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “waste management,” “recycling,” “pollution,” “toxic wastes,” and “school curriculum.” These terms make the subject clear, and phrases such as “instilled into young minds” show an attempt to use more expressive language. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or informal, however: “house wastes,” “recycle bins,” and “throw their trash” are less natural in this context. “Not a much eco-friendly approach” is also awkward, and “baned” is misspelled. Aim for precise, natural combinations such as “household waste,” “recycling bins,” and “dispose of rubbish,” and check spelling carefully. This would make your vocabulary more controlled without changing your clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “people who are not throwing their waste” and a purpose clause in “so this sense … can be instilled.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “to some extents” has an incorrect plural form, and “There is a machine … that collects … and rewards you” shifts from a general description to direct address. The sentence beginning “Use of stuff” also lacks a clear article, while “This helps with keeping” is an awkward construction. Review articles, number agreement, and consistent pronouns, and practise varying sentence openings. Greater control of these patterns would improve accuracy while preserving your range.

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

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