Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement. To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
Sample Response
The issue of waste management and recycling has become increasingly significant in today's world, with concerns about environmental sustainability and resource conservation. Therefore, some argue that making recycling a legal requirement is necessary to increase the recycling rate, and I tend to agree with this opinion.
To commence with, enacting laws to mandate recycling can be an effective way to create a sense of responsibility among individuals and businesses. When recycling becomes a legal requirement, people are more likely to perceive it as a civic duty and comply with recycling guidelines. Similarly, companies would be more responsible in their waste management and recycling endeavours. Countries that have implemented recycling laws have witnessed a significant increase in recycling rates. For example, in countries like Germany and South Korea, recycling is legally enforced, resulting in higher recycling rates and reduced strain on landfills.
Moreover, recycling laws can provide a framework for waste management and ensure that recycling facilities are adequately funded and accessible to the public. When governments establish comprehensive recycling policies, they invest in infrastructure and systems that facilitate the collection, sorting, and processing of recyclable materials. This creates a more organised and efficient recycling process, increasing the likelihood that people will participate in recycling initiatives. For instance, countries like Sweden have implemented extensive recycling programmes, where households are provided with recycling bins and efficient waste management systems to encourage recycling at the source.
In conclusion, laws can be a powerful tool in driving behavioural change and promoting recycling. So it is essential to impose new laws and revise existing ones to make sure businesses and individuals are essentially participating in the recycling process. This would help create a greener and more environmentally conscious society that understands that recycling is required for a better environment.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use general plural Original: increase the recycling rate Suggested revision: increase recycling rates Why it matters: The plural form suits a general claim about recycling across places and materials.
- 2. Use natural opener Original: commence Suggested revision: begin Why it matters: This is the conventional transition for introducing the first main point.
- 3. Use adverb with action Original: companies would be more responsible Suggested revision: companies would act more responsibly Why it matters: The adverb naturally describes how companies manage their waste.
- 4. Remove repeated noun Original: in countries like Germany and South Korea Suggested revision: in Germany and South Korea Why it matters: The country names already identify the locations, so the repeated category word is unnecessary.
- 5. Name what is enforced Original: recycling is legally enforced Suggested revision: recycling requirements are legally enforced Why it matters: Governments enforce legal requirements rather than the activity of recycling itself.
- 6. Use formal example phrase Original: countries like Sweden Suggested revision: countries such as Sweden Why it matters: 'Such as' is the more formal marker for an example in academic writing.
- 7. Correct relative linker Original: programmes, where households Suggested revision: programmes in which households Why it matters: A programme is not a physical place, so 'in which' is required instead of 'where'.
- 8. Use legal collocation Original: impose Suggested revision: enact Why it matters: Laws are enacted, while penalties or restrictions are imposed.
- 9. Use formal assurance verb Original: make sure businesses and individuals Suggested revision: ensure that businesses and individuals Why it matters: 'Ensure that' is more concise and appropriate for formal writing.
- 10. Correct participation adverb Original: essentially Suggested revision: actively Why it matters: 'Actively' describes meaningful participation, whereas 'essentially' does not.
- 11. Clarify environmental benefit Original: required for a better environment Suggested revision: essential for environmental protection Why it matters: The revision states the environmental purpose precisely and avoids the vague phrase 'better environment'.
Suggested Rewrites
- increase the recycling rate increase recycling rates
- commence begin
- companies would be more responsible companies would act more responsibly
- in countries like Germany and South Korea in Germany and South Korea
- recycling is legally enforced recycling requirements are legally enforced
- countries like Sweden countries such as Sweden
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay presents a clear case for recycling laws and develops it through two strong mechanisms: changing behaviour and funding accessible waste-management infrastructure. Its strongest feature is the use of relevant international examples; the main limitation is that the qualified phrase 'tend to agree' is not matched by any examination of where laws may be insufficient. The highest-priority improvement is to acknowledge complementary education or incentives and explain why legislation should remain central.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response maintains a clear position and develops two highly relevant reasons for legislation with specific international examples, though its qualification is not explored.
Explain briefly whether education or incentives could complement the law, then clarify why legislation is still necessary.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses cleanly from behavioural compliance to public infrastructure, with focused paragraphs and well-managed cohesive links.
Strengthen the transition to the conclusion by explicitly connecting both body arguments to the stated degree of agreement.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise range of environmental and policy vocabulary is used naturally, with only slight repetition and occasional stilted phrasing.
Replace formulaic expressions such as 'To commence with' and repeated uses of 'essentially' with more direct wording.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentences are varied and accurately controlled throughout, with only rare minor lapses that do not affect clarity.
Maintain this strong control while tightening the final two sentences to avoid unnecessary repetition of purpose clauses.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement. To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.