Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-12

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 often argued that people in many countries do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could. This is mainly because of a lack of awareness and recycle facilities. However, there are numerous effective ways to encourage people to recycle more.

To begin with, one major reason is that many people are not aware of the harmful effects of waste on the environment. They many not know which materials can be recycled or how recycling can reduce pollution. As a result, they simply put recycle items into general rubbish. For example, some households throw away plastic bottles and cardboard even though these materials can easily be recycled.

Another important reason is that recycling can sometimes be inconvenient. In some areas, there are not adequate recycling bins or regular collection services. Therefore, individuals may find it easier to putt all their rubbish into one bin. In addition, some people believe that recycling takes extra time and effort, so they do not make it part of their daily lives.

There are some ways to change this situation. Governments should educate people about recycling through schools, television and social media. They should also provide separate recycling bins in residential areas and public places. Furthermore, financial incentives, such as bottle refunds, could encourage people to recycle regularly. Furthermore, strict fines could be introduced for those who always ignore recycling rules.

In conclusion, people often fail to recycle because they lack awareness and convenient facilities. Governments can solve this problem by providing better education, improving recycling services and offering suitable 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. The introduction clearly outlines the scope, and the body paragraphs provide specific reasons (lack of awareness, inconvenience) and actionable solutions (education, infrastructure, incentives). The position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more detailed examples or explore the implications of the solutions further. Overall, the response is well-structured and fully addresses the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the causes and solutions is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Another important reason', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The referencing is generally clear, and the flow of information is natural. The essay demonstrates a good command of organizational features, making it easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'harmful effects', 'financial incentives', and 'residential areas' correctly. While the range is adequate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning. The student demonstrates a good grasp of standard vocabulary, though incorporating more precise synonyms would enhance the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over grammar, though there are a few minor slips, such as 'They many not know' (should be 'may') and 'putt all their rubbish' (spelling error). These errors are infrequent and do not interfere with communication. The punctuation is generally accurate. To improve, the student could experiment with more varied complex sentence structures, such as using conditional clauses or passive voice more frequently to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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.