Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-08

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)

It is widely observed that many people fail to recycle as much of their household waste as they could. This is largely because recycling can be inconvenient and requires people to separate their waste, while governments can encourage greater participation by making the process easier and providing incentives.

One reason for low recycling rates is that many people lead increasingly busy lives and therefore prefer convenient ways of disposing of their rubbish. Recycling often requires households to sort different materials and place them in separate containers, which some people may consider time-consuming. By contrast, putting all household waste into a single bin requires very little effort. For example, a person who is returning home late from work may simply throw a plastic bottle into the nearest general waste bin rather than separating it for recycling. When this becomes a daily habit, a considerable amount of recyclable material ends up in landfill.

Governments can make recycling more convenient by providing clearly labelled recycling bins in residential areas and ensuring that they are collected regularly. They could also introduce financial incentives to encourage participation. For instance, households could receive small discounts on waste-collection charges if they consistently separate recyclable materials from general rubbish. Such measures would reduce the effort involved in recycling while giving people a practical reason to change their behaviour. Public awareness campaigns could further explain the environmental benefits of recycling and show residents how to separate their waste correctly.

In conclusion, many people do not recycle as much as they could because they perceive the process as inconvenient and time-consuming. Governments can address this problem by making recycling facilities more accessible, offering incentives and educating the public about responsible waste disposal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You clearly identify the reasons for low recycling rates—specifically the inconvenience and time-consuming nature of sorting waste—and provide logical, actionable solutions such as improved infrastructure and financial incentives. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the scenario of a busy worker returning home. The position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. The response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt without any irrelevant information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, and the transition between the problem and the solution is smooth. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'By contrast', 'For example', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the two body paragraphs, and the conclusion. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'widely observed', 'financial incentives', and 'responsible waste disposal' show a level of sophistication. The word choice is precise and natural, and there are no errors in spelling or collocation. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, incorporating a few more topic-specific, less common lexical items could elevate the score further, but the current range is sufficient for a high band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The grammar is highly accurate, with a wide range of complex structures used correctly. You effectively use conditional structures ('if they consistently separate'), relative clauses ('which some people may consider time-consuming'), and passive voice ('are collected regularly'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your arguments. There are no significant grammatical slips, and the control over sentence variety is excellent.

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.