Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-22

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)

Nowadays, a large amount of household waste is thrown away instead of being recycled. Some citizens believe that the governments should introduce laws to increase recycle. I strongly believe with this quote, because laws can encourage people to recycle, although public awareness and proper facilities are important.

First of all, the governments should introduce strict laws in terms of recycling. People who do not recycle would have to restrict by a penalty or a punishment. This will encourage more people because middle or lower class people have a fear of fining charge. For example, people who are financially weak are not able to give their fine so they do not break any law. As a result, cities have cleaner environment and less pollution.

Secondly, some people do not understand its benefit and thinks that it is a waste of time. The governments should have to provide proper guidance regarding recycle. Also, they have to provide proper facilities with different dustbins. Plastic, paper and food should be separated, which helps to both workers as well as citizens. For instance, In Europe, the governments provide money in return of plastic, they have facilitates the machine which takes plastic and return money. This leads to encourage people by financial benefits and helps recycle more.

In conclusion, many people thinks that people ought to recycle instead of throwing waste. I strongly believe with this view, because this improves the environment of the city and some strict laws and financial benefits also encourages more people to recycle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you support laws to increase recycling, while recognising that awareness and facilities also matter. The response addresses the question with relevant reasons, including penalties, guidance, separate bins and financial incentives. The examples about people avoiding fines and plastic-return machines help illustrate these points. However, the argument about penalties is not fully clear: “people who are financially weak are not able to give their fine so they do not break any law” does not explain how the penalty would work or why it would reliably increase recycling. The discussion of public guidance and facilities is more developed than the explanation of the law itself. To strengthen the response, explain how rules would be enforced and support each main claim with a more precise example or consequence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. “First of all,” “Secondly,” and “In conclusion” make the stages easy to follow, and each body paragraph focuses on a related set of ideas. However, the progression within some points is not always smooth. For example, the link between financial hardship and obeying recycling laws is difficult to follow, and “This leads to encourage people” does not clearly connect the example to its result. The conclusion also repeats the position and environmental benefit without bringing the two main arguments together. Use clearer cause-and-effect links and refer back to the specific role of laws, facilities and incentives to make the argument flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “household waste,” “penalty,” “pollution,” “facilities,” and “financial benefits,” so the main ideas are generally understandable. There are also attempts to express more specific concepts, such as “different dustbins” and machines that return money for plastic. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “increase recycle,” “fear of fining charge,” and “they have facilitates the machine.” Repetition of “proper,” “people,” and “recycle” also limits flexibility. Aim to learn common combinations such as “increase recycling rates,” “impose a fine,” and “provide recycling facilities,” and check word forms so that your vocabulary sounds precise and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and some longer structures, including a relative clause in “Plastic, paper and food should be separated, which helps…” and a conditional idea about people who do not recycle. Meaning is usually clear, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction remain. For example, “some people … thinks” should use a plural verb, while “People who do not recycle would have to restrict by a penalty” has an incomplete passive construction. “The governments should have to provide” also combines modal forms awkwardly. Review subject–verb agreement and practise forming passive sentences and modal verbs accurately. More consistently controlled complex sentences would make the reasoning easier to follow.

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