Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-05

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 7.5)

In many countries, the amount of household waste that gets recycled remains far below its potential level. The main reasons would be that recycling is often inconvenient and people are not sufficiently aware of its environmental importance. However, the government and local authorities can encourage the people towards recycling their waste by making the process simpler and offering clear incentives.

One major reason why people fail to recycle their waste is because they look at it as an extra effort in their day to day life. In some neighbourhoods, residents have to separate their paper, plastic, glass and food waste, but there may be only one recycling point located far from their homes. Consequently, many people choose to throw everything in a single rubbish bin, particularly when they are busy. Another issue is the lack of knowledge. A lot of people are unsure which material gets recycled or believe all the waste is mixed together in one giant pile, so they see little value in sorting it. For example, I have seen people place recyclable plastic containers in general waste simply because they did not know whether they needed to be washed first.

To prevent such problems, government should provide more clearly labelled recycling bins outside every home, apartment buildings, and in public places. If separate bins are as accessible as ordinary rubbish bins, recycling would become a part of people's daily routine rather than an inconvenient task. Authorities should also run public awareness programmes through schools, social media and television. These campaigns could explain the long term effects of landfill waste and provide simple instructions about how to sort household rubbish. Furthermore, financial incentives, such as small refunds for returning bottles and cans, can motivate people to participate. Such schemes have been successful in many countries because they make recycling financially rewarding as well as environmentally responsible.

In conclusion, low recycling rates are primarily caused by inconvenience and lack of awareness. By providing accessible facilities, clearer information and practical incentives, government can make recycling easier and encourage more people to adopt this essential habit.

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—inconvenience and lack of awareness—and provided logical, well-developed solutions for each. The ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as the mention of distant recycling points and the confusion regarding whether plastic containers need to be washed. Your position is consistent throughout, and the structure is balanced, ensuring that both the 'why' and 'what can be done' components are given sufficient attention. The content is relevant and directly answers the question posed.

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 problem and the solution is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Consequently', 'Another issue', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow of information is natural, and referencing is clear throughout the text, making the essay easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'sufficiently aware', 'environmental importance', 'financial incentives', and 'environmentally responsible' show a solid command of topic-specific language. While the vocabulary is accurate and conveys your meaning clearly, it stays within a relatively standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common idiomatic expressions. However, the current usage is precise and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If separate bins are as accessible...') and relative clauses effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, with only very minor slips, such as the missing article in 'government should provide' (should be 'the government'). Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your arguments. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over complex structures is consistent, which is indicative of a high level of grammatical competence.

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

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