Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-22

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, a considerable proportion of individuals do not recycle as much rubbish as they could. From my perspective, this is mainly due to a lack of awareness and the inconvenience of recycling. Therefore, governments and individuals should take appropriate measures to address this problem.

One significant factor is the lack of public awareness regarding the importance of recycling. A considerable proportion of individuals may not understand the environmental consequences of throwing all their rubbish into the same bin. For instance, plastic waste can remain in the environment for many years and cause serious pollution. Consequently, failing to recycle results in larger quantities of waste being sent to landfills. Additionally, some people may simply consider recycling to be unnecessary or time-consuming.

Another significant factor is the lack of convenient recycling facilities. Although many people may be willing to recycle, they may not have separate recycling bins near their homes. Therefore, governments should provide clearly labelled bins for plastic, paper, glass and general waste. Furthermore, schools could educate children about the importance of recycling from an early age. It is widely accepted that habits developed during childhood can continue into adulthood.

Financial incentives could also encourage people to recycle. For example, governments could introduce schemes in which individuals receive money for returning plastic bottles and cans. On the contrary, those who repeatedly ignore recycling regulations could be required to pay a small fine. Admittedly, introducing such schemes may be expensive initially; however, the long-term environmental benefits could outweigh these costs.

In conclusion, I am inclined to believe that insufficient recycling is mainly caused by poor awareness and inconvenience. Due to the fact that waste has serious environmental consequences, governments should make recycling easier, educate the public and provide suitable incentives. Consequently, recycling rates are likely to increase significantly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the lack of recycling and potential solutions. The position is clear from the introduction and is maintained throughout the essay. Each paragraph develops a specific idea, such as the lack of awareness and the absence of infrastructure, and provides relevant examples like the use of financial incentives. The ideas are well-supported and extended, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements. The conclusion effectively summarises the main points without introducing new information, ensuring the response is balanced and focused.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. The writer makes effective use of cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'additionally', 'although', and 'furthermore', which help to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the causes from the solutions. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent, making the essay easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic context. The writer uses a range of topic-specific terms such as 'environmental consequences', 'recycling facilities', 'financial incentives', and 'landfills'. There is evidence of flexibility in word choice, and the collocations are generally natural. While the vocabulary is accurate and sufficient, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band, but it is certainly strong enough for a high score. There are no spelling errors, and the language used is consistently formal and academic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a good command of a variety of complex sentence structures. The writer uses conditional sentences, passive voice, and subordinate clauses effectively, such as in the sentence 'Although many people may be willing to recycle, they may not have separate recycling bins near their homes.' The grammar is highly accurate, with only very rare, minor slips that do not impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and the control over tense and aspect is consistent. The majority of sentences are error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence.

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