Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-16

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 7.5)

Despite the growing global awareness of environmental issues, recycling rates in many countries remain surprisingly low. This is primarily caused by a lack of public awareness and inadequate local recycling infrastructure. However, governments can effectively reverse this trend by launching targeted educational campaigns and investing in more accessible recycling facilities.The main reasons for low recycling participation are public confusion and structural inconvenience. First, many individuals simply do not know how to sort their waste correctly. The guidelines for what can and cannot be recycled are often complex, vary by region, and are rarely explained clearly to residents. Second, the lack of convenient infrastructure discourages action. In many neighborhoods, there is a scarcity of recycling bins, forcing residents to travel long distances to drop off their sorted waste. When the effort required to recycle outweighs the perceived immediate benefit, people naturally choose the easier option of throwing everything into standard landfills.To solve this problem, a combination of government education and structural improvement is required. To begin with, authorities must simplify recycling guidelines and promote them through public campaigns, school curricula, and clear labeling on products. When people understand exactly how and why to recycle, compliance naturally rises. Furthermore, governments must invest heavily in local infrastructure. For example, providing every household with separate, color-coded bins for plastics, paper, and organic waste—alongside reliable curbside collection—makes recycling as effortless as discarding regular trash. Financial incentives, such as small deposits returned upon recycling plastic bottles, have also proven highly successful in European countries.In conclusion, low recycling rates stem from a lack of clear information and poor accessibility to recycling systems. By implementing straightforward education programs and upgrading municipal waste facilities, governments can make recycling a convenient, routine habit for all citizens.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly explaining both the reasons for low recycling rates and suggesting practical solutions. The position is well-maintained throughout the essay. The student identifies key causes, such as a lack of public awareness and inadequate infrastructure, and supports these with logical explanations and real-world examples, such as color-coded bins and European deposit schemes. The ideas are thoroughly developed and extended, meeting the requirements for a Band 8 by covering all aspects of the prompt well with only minor generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

Ideas are logically sequenced and flow smoothly from problem to solution. The essay is divided into appropriate paragraphs, although there is a slight formatting error where a paragraph break is missing before the sentence beginning with 'The main reasons for low recycling participation'. Despite this minor slip, cohesion is managed well through effective transition markers such as 'First', 'Second', 'To begin with', and 'Furthermore'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to structure the overall argument clearly, demonstrating strong logical progression throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student displays a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an academic task, incorporating less common and precise items such as 'inadequate local recycling infrastructure', 'structural inconvenience', and 'perceived immediate benefit'. Word choice and collocations are generally natural and accurate. There are only occasional minor awkwardness issues, but overall vocabulary usage allows for smooth and precise communication of complex ideas, comfortably meeting the standard for a Band 7.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay exhibits a wide range of complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial phrases such as 'When the effort required to recycle outweighs the perceived immediate benefit...' and 'providing every household with separate, color-coded bins...'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, and punctuation is handled with a high degree of accuracy. The control over grammar is strong, with only very occasional minor slips that never impede communication, aligning well with the Band 8 descriptors.

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