Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-23

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 6.5)

Many people believe that recycling household waste is not adequate and that only legislation can improve them. I am partly agree with this view. In my opinion, laws are useful but it will work best when it will combine with proper education and convenient recycling systems.

Firstly, a legal requirement will create a clear standard for everyone. Without rules or regulations people will not find that recycling waste from is their duty. People will recycle their waste due to the fine or penalty imposed by Government. When the legal requirement will be introduced, individuals will find themselves responsible for separating wastes. A fine by the government can make the citizens more sensible for separating waste like plastics, papers and food items. In this case, the law can make using recycling products a normal part of daily life.

However, making laws are not the only solution, people should also support this from their side. If people do not understand the purpose of recycling, then they may ignore the rules and obligation of waste recycle. They should be properly informed why recycling matter, why they should do it and how will they be benefited by it. Providing separate recycling bins in residential areas, introducing reward system for recycling purpose can encourage households to sort their waste. Awareness campaigns in schools and communities, together with financial incentives such as paying for collected plastic, can encourage people more effectively than punishment alone.

In conclusion, laws are important for increasing recycling because they set rules and create accountability. However, they are not the only way. The best results come when governments pass clear laws, provide good recycling facilities, and educate the public at the same time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you partly agree that laws can increase recycling, while arguing that education and convenient facilities are also needed. You address both the role of penalties and non-legal measures, and examples such as separate bins, school campaigns and payment for collected plastic make the response relevant. This meets the task well overall. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained: for instance, you say fines can make citizens more responsible, but do not explore how enforcement would work or why it would change behaviour over time. The benefits of education and incentives are also listed more than developed. Extending one or two examples and linking them directly to your degree of agreement would strengthen the response further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction states your position, two body paragraphs present legal and non-legal approaches, and the conclusion restates the combined solution. Sequencing is generally easy to follow, and signposts such as “Firstly,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. This is a coherent arrangement, though some linking is mechanical and a few references are unclear. For example, “people should also support this from their side” leaves “this” imprecise, while repeated references to “people” and “recycling” make parts of the second body paragraph feel list-like. Use more precise referencing and connect each example to the preceding claim, rather than relying mainly on paragraph-opening transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “legislation,” “legal requirement,” “accountability,” “financial incentives” and “awareness campaigns.” These choices make your main ideas clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “recycling waste from,” “sensible for separating waste,” “waste recycle” and “encourage people more effectively.” “Recycling products” also does not clearly express the intended idea of recycled materials or products made from them. These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim to learn common word partnerships for this topic and check that each noun and verb expresses the exact relationship you intend.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional clauses such as “If people do not understand the purpose of recycling, then they may ignore the rules” and a concluding sentence with several coordinated actions. Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical errors recur. Examples include “I am partly agree” (verb form), “it will work best when it will combine” (clause structure and verb form), “making laws are” (subject–verb agreement), and “why recycling matter” (agreement). There are also awkward or incomplete constructions, such as “waste from is their duty.” These errors are noticeable but rarely obscure your argument. Review agreement and verb patterns, and proofread each sentence for a complete, correctly formed clause.

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