Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-24
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)
There is no denying the fact that recycling waste can reflect many benifits. While there is a common held belief that waste from homes is not recycled enough, and only making it legal requirement from the governments can increase it, there is also an argument that apposes it. In my opinion, I consider that there should be some laws and legal requirement to commit to recycling waste from homes.
To begin with, recycling showed it's value on improving the environment, and reducing the polluston. In other words, all individuals should be involved in protecting the environment in many different ways, including recycling. In addition, recycling can help saving other creatures lives. For example, studies showed that recycled plastic may reduce the pollution in the sea, thus it can preserve a lot of sea animals from the posion reduced from plastic.
Another point to consider, some people doesn't care about recycling waste from their homes but if governments start to make it a legal requirement, i think there will be a significant increase in recycled wastes. It is also possible to say that governments can take other actions than making it compulsory. Moreover there can be a system to reward individuals after recycling an amount of waste. For instance, in Europe there are some machines that can reward people with money for recycling an amount of waste.
In conclusion, despite people having different views, i believe that governments should take actions inorder to increase recycling waste from homes, i think settings laws can solve this issue but it is not the only way, there are other ways that can encourage people to get involve in recycling like settings systems that gives them rewards.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
Your position is clear: you believe laws are needed, while recognising that rewards can also encourage recycling. You address the environmental value of recycling and explain how legal requirements might influence people who do not currently participate. The examples of plastic pollution and recycling machines make the discussion relevant. However, the environmental paragraph explains why recycling matters more than why laws are needed, and the claim that legislation would produce a “significant increase” is not supported with much detail. Develop the comparison between compulsory rules and incentives—for example, explain when rewards might work better, or how penalties could be applied fairly—to make the response more fully reasoned.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the ideas generally progress from environmental benefits to possible government measures. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “Another point to consider” and “In conclusion” help signal this organisation. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. In the second body paragraph, “It is also possible to say that governments can take other actions” shifts to incentives without clearly explaining how they relate to legal requirements. The conclusion repeats the position and reward example rather than drawing the argument together. Use clearer transitions to show contrast and cause, and organise each paragraph around one main point with its explanation and example.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “recycling,” “legal requirement,” “pollution,” “compulsory” and “reward,” so the main ideas are understandable. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “preserve” and “significant increase.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “benifits,” “apposes,” “polluston” and “posion.” Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise: “recycling showed it's value on improving the environment” and “recycling an amount of waste.” These choices limit precision and fluency. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations, such as “demonstrate its value in improving” and “recycle a certain quantity of waste,” to express your ideas more naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a concession in the opening and conditional reasoning in “if governments start to make it a legal requirement.” Most of the meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “some people doesn't care” needs subject–verb agreement, while “recycling can help saving” requires a different verb pattern. The opening sentence also joins two clauses awkwardly, and “there should be some laws and legal requirement” has an article and number problem. Review agreement, articles and verb patterns, and punctuate longer sentences so that each clause is clearly connected. More accurate control of these structures would make the argument easier to follow.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.