Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries, people do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could.

Why do you think this is?

What can be done to change this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.0)

It is widely accepted that in multiple nations, individuals do not recycle their waste to the full potential. While the driving factors behind this paradigm are inadequate infrastructure and lack of awareness about its impact on the environment, the feasible solutions to mitigate the issue are investment in infrastructure and campaigns to educate the public.

To commence with, the primary catalyst behind this problem is limited waste disposal supplies to households which creates a formidable situation for the public. To expound, since some authorities do not provide additional bins to separately dispose the recyclable waste, many people end up disposing all the waste together, rather than making an effort to put them separately. Furthermore, even though many developed nations have equipped their general populace with the designated waste containers, some demographics are unmotivated to practice recommended waste disposal practices due to lack of awareness about the impact of their neglect with respect to recycling.

Additionally, to alleviate these issues the authorities can play a pivotal role by not only improving disposal facilities but also by spreading awareness. To elaborate, governments should ensure availability of designated garbage and recycle waste bins to every household to equip them with adequate supplies. Moreover, both state and local organizations such as schools, should encourage the citizens to practice recycling by educating them about the negative consequences of irresponsible waste management.

In conclusion, although lack of facilities and careless waste disposal are the factors for limited recycling, these issues can be effectively resolved by upgrading the facilities and by raising the awareness about recycling practices which support a sustainable environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly: identifying reasons for low recycling rates (infrastructure and lack of awareness) and proposing solutions (government investment and education). The position is consistent throughout. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, such as the link between the lack of bins and the public's tendency to mix waste. To reach a higher band, the response could benefit from more specific, real-world examples rather than general statements about 'some authorities' or 'some demographics'. However, the task is fully addressed with a clear, well-developed argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the causes from the solutions. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between the problems and the proposed remedies is clearly established, making the text easy to read and coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally precise, allowing for a clear expression of ideas. Phrases like 'primary catalyst', 'formidable situation', and 'pivotal role' demonstrate an attempt to use less common lexical items. There are occasional minor issues with collocation, such as 'limited waste disposal supplies' (which sounds slightly unnatural; 'inadequate waste management facilities' would be better). However, the range is adequate for the task, and the meaning is always clear, with no significant errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a consistent use of complex sentences, such as 'While the driving factors... the feasible solutions are...', which shows good control. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the grammar is stable. While there are minor slips, such as 'dispose the recyclable waste' (should be 'dispose of'), these are infrequent and do not interfere with the reader's understanding. The majority of sentences are error-free, reflecting a solid command of grammatical structures.

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