Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-21

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 it is seen that citizens do not recycle their household waste, even though much of it can reused or processed. This is mainly because people lack of awareness and recycling facilities, civic sense can be a factor too. However government can address these issues through a education and better waste management system.

One major reason for the low rate of recycling is a lack of awareness. Many people do not know which types of waste can be recycled or do not understand the environmental consequences of putting recyclable materials in general waste. In addition, some people may simply consider separating their rubbish to be unnecessary work. Another important factor is the lack of convenient recycling facilities. If households are not provided with separate bins for materials such as plastic, paper and glass, people are more likely to put everything into the same bin. For example, residents in areas without regular recycling collection may find it difficult to recycle their household waste even if they are willing to do so.

There are several measures that could encourage people to recycle more. Firstly, governments and schools should provide greater education about recycling. Public campaigns on television and social media could also explain how waste should be separated and why recycling is important. Secondly, recycling should be made as convenient as possible. Local authorities could provide separate recycling bins in every household and arrange regular collection services. They could also introduce financial incentives, such as a small refund for returning plastic bottles, which would encourage people to recycle more frequently.

In conclusion, people often fail to recycle because they lack knowledge about recycling and do not have easy access to suitable facilities. Providing better education, convenient collection systems and financial incentives could significantly increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified two main reasons for low recycling rates—lack of awareness and lack of facilities—and provided logical solutions for each, such as public campaigns and financial incentives. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of separate bins and bottle refund schemes. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your ideas by discussing the long-term impact of these solutions or providing a more specific real-world example of a country that has successfully implemented these strategies.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In addition', 'For example', 'Firstly', and 'Secondly', which help guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the causes from the solutions. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent. The flow is natural, and the relationship between sentences is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'environmental consequences', 'financial incentives', and 'regular collection services' are used accurately. There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary, though it remains relatively standard. The word choice is generally appropriate for an academic context. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terminology to show greater flexibility. For instance, instead of 'unnecessary work', you could use 'a burdensome chore' or 'an inconvenient task'. Overall, the vocabulary is precise enough to convey your meaning without any ambiguity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If households are not provided...') and passive voice ('...can be reused or processed') effectively. While there are minor errors, such as 'through a education' (should be 'through education') and 'people lack of awareness' (should be 'people lack awareness'), these are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is solid. To achieve a higher score, ensure consistent subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text.

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