Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-16

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 do not recycle their rubbish as much as they could. The main reasons why people do not recycle are a lack of motivation and inconvenience. This situation can be improved by providing more recycling bins and encouraging individuals to consider the adverse effects of not recycling.

There are several reasons why people do not recycle as much as they could. One of the main reasons is a lack of motivation. Some people may not understand the harmful effects that failing to recycle can have on the environment. For example, they may not realize that large amounts of waste can contribute to pollution and damage natural environments. As a result, they may believe that recycling is not important and simply throw all their rubbish into the same bin. Another reason is a lack of convenience. If there are not enough recycling bins around a city, people are less likely to recycle their rubbish. In particular, people may choose to use regular rubbish bins because they are easier to find.

Regarding what can be done to address this issue, governments should provide more recycling bins in residential areas, schools and public places. By doing so, people will have easier access to recycling facilities and will be more likely to separate their rubbish. For example, clearly labelled bins for paper, plastic and other recyclable materials could be placed next to regular rubbish bins. Second, people should be made more aware of the negative effects of not recycling. Schools and governments could educate people about the importance of recycling and its benefits for the environment. As a result, individuals may become more responsible and motivated to recycle.

In conclusion, a lack of motivation and convenience are the main reasons why people do not recycle as much as they could. Providing more recycling bins and raising awareness of the negative effects of not recycling could encourage more people to recycle and help reduce environmental pollution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly: identifying reasons for low recycling rates (lack of motivation and inconvenience) and proposing solutions (infrastructure and education). The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are logically extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of clearly labelled bins. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced or sophisticated arguments, perhaps discussing the role of government policy or corporate responsibility in more depth, rather than focusing primarily on individual convenience and basic awareness.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress smoothly. Cohesive devices such as 'In particular', 'Regarding what can be done', and 'As a result' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main parts of the prompt. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the text, demonstrating a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms such as 'recyclable materials', 'environmental pollution', and 'adverse effects' accurately. While the range is adequate to convey the message clearly, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or the use of less common idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. The word choices are precise and there are no significant errors in collocation or spelling that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is accurate. The student successfully uses conditional structures ('If there are not enough... people are less likely to...') and passive voice ('people should be made more aware'). While the grammatical range is solid, it does not consistently feature the more complex, varied, or sophisticated structures required for the highest bands. However, the accuracy is high, and errors are rare.

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

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