Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-18

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 7.5)

In recent years, although recycling plays a crucial role in protecting the environment, many people around the world still choose not to recycle their waste. This situation is mainly caused by a lack of public awareness and inconvenient disposal facilities, but it can be solved through government incentives and better infrastructure.

The primary reason why recycling rates remain low is that many individuals are not fully educated on how to sort their garbage properly. In many households, people are confused about which materials can be recycled, leading them to mix all rubbish together. Another major cause is the inconvenience of current waste management systems. If people have to walk a long distance to find a recycling bin or if local authorities do not collect sorted rubbish directly from homes, most citizens will simply choose the easiest option and throw everything into the main bin.

To tackle this issue, governments need to make the process as easy as possible for the public. First, local councils should provide separate, clearly labelled bins to every home and collect recyclable waste on a regular schedule. Second, introducing financial rewards can encourage more people to participate. For example, some countries have introduced deposit- return schemes where people receive a small amount of money when returning plastic bottles or cans. This gives people a clear reason to recycle regularly.

In conclusion, low recycling rates are caused by a lack of convenience and proper education. By improving local waste collection services and offering financial incentives, government can effectively motivate citizens to recycle more of their rubbish.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You have clearly identified two main reasons for low recycling rates—lack of education and inconvenience—and provided two logical solutions: improved infrastructure and financial incentives. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of deposit-return schemes. The position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by briefly discussing the impact of these solutions on long-term behavioral change, which would add more depth to your analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the problems and the solutions is smooth. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'The primary reason', 'Another major cause', and 'To tackle this issue', which guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow is natural, and the relationship between sentences is clear, meeting the requirements for a high band score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'crucial role', 'local authorities', 'deposit-return schemes', and 'motivate citizens' are used accurately and appropriately in context. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is generally standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations or idiomatic expressions related to environmental policy, such as 'mitigate environmental degradation' or 'incentivize sustainable practices', to show a greater degree of lexical flexibility and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good command of grammatical structures. You successfully use a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the conditional structure 'If people have to walk a long distance... most citizens will simply choose...'. The punctuation is accurate, and there are very few grammatical errors. The sentences are generally error-free, and the control over complex forms is consistent. To move toward a band 8 or 9, ensure that you continue to vary your sentence structures even further, perhaps by incorporating more passive constructions or inversion to add variety to your writing style.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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