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)

In many countries, people throw a large amount of rubbish instead of recycling it, even though recycling can reduce environmental benefits. There are several benefits for this situation, including lack of awareness and inconvenient recycling facilities. However, governments and individuals can take a number of steps to encourage better recycling habits.

One major reason why people do not recycle enough is that they are not fully aware of its importance. Some people may not understand how recycling can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and save natural resources. Another reason is that, recycling can sometimes be inconvenient. For example, if separate bins for plastic, paper and glass are not available nearby people's homes, they may simply put all their rubbish into one bin. In addition, Some people may believe that recycling takes too much time, especially when they have to separate different types of rubbish.

There are several ways to address this issue. Firstly, governments should provide clearly labelled recycling bins in residential areas, schools and public places. This would make recycling easier and encourage people to develop the habit. Secondly, schools and the media can educate people about the benefits of recycling through campaigns and simple educational programmes. For instance, children could be taught how to separate household waste, and they could encourage their parents to follow the same practice. In addition governments could also offers small rewards or discounts to households that regularly recycle the rubbish

In conclusion, people often fail to recycle because they lack awareness and do not have access to suitable facilities. Governments can improve the situation by providing convenient recycling services, education the people and offering incentives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for low recycling rates and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. For instance, you identify 'lack of awareness' and 'inconvenience' as key reasons, and propose 'infrastructure improvements' and 'education' as solutions. The position is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, ensure you avoid minor logical slips, such as the opening sentence stating that recycling 'can reduce environmental benefits,' which contradicts the intended meaning. Overall, the task is well-covered with sufficient supporting detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Firstly,' and 'For instance' are used effectively to guide the reader. The progression of ideas is smooth. While the structure is sound, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes a bit formulaic. To improve, try to vary the transitions further and ensure that referencing remains precise throughout the text to maintain a more natural flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'landfills,' 'natural resources,' and 'incentives.' There are occasional errors in word choice, such as 'benefits for this situation' (should be 'reasons') and 'education the people' (should be 'educating'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the sophistication and idiomatic control required for higher bands. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing would enhance your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and most sentences are clear. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'Some people may believe that recycling takes too much time, especially when they have to separate different types of rubbish' (which is fine) contrasted with 'governments could also offers' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is generally accurate, though there are minor issues with missing commas after introductory phrases. Increasing the variety of complex structures would help elevate the score.

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