Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.

What damage does plastic do to the environment?

What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 4.0)

plastic bottles and everything that we made from plastic they destroy our environment when we through in forest ocean,seas rivers and any were they destroy burning it released toxic gases and this gases in atmosphere destroy the environment that is harmful for every living organisms government should take actions to it and they must bi add fine those that do this things throw plastic thing anyplace and as a individual its our duty use dust bins must bi used clothing bag

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify relevant environmental harm, noting that discarded plastic in forests, oceans, seas and rivers causes damage, and that burning it releases toxic gases. You also offer two relevant responses: governments could fine people who litter, and individuals could use bins and cloth bags. However, the task asks for a developed explanation of the damage and practical solutions from both groups; these points are only briefly stated, with no examples or explanation of effects such as harm to wildlife or long-lasting pollution. The response is also 169 words below the required minimum, so it cannot develop the ideas sufficiently. Explain each effect and solution, and support them with specific examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows a basic overall order: it first describes environmental damage, then moves to government action and individual responsibility. This gives the reader a general sense of the intended progression. However, nearly all the ideas are compressed into one long sentence, with no paragraph breaks or clear separation between the two parts of the question. Connections between points are also difficult to follow, particularly in the sequence about plastic being discarded and then burned. Use separate paragraphs for environmental effects, government measures and individual actions, and connect each point with clear linking phrases. This would make the organisation easier to follow rather than presenting the ideas as a single stream.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use several relevant topic words, including “environment,” “toxic gases,” “living organisms,” “fine,” and “dust bins,” so the reader can recognise the subject and the proposed actions. The vocabulary is nevertheless limited and some expressions are imprecise or incorrectly formed, such as “any were,” “plastic thing,” and “as a individual.” “Destroy” is repeated, and “bad for the environment” is not developed into more precise descriptions of pollution or harm. Build a wider set of topic vocabulary and choose words that describe specific consequences, such as contamination or wildlife injury. Check spelling and common word combinations so your meaning is expressed more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts to combine related ideas, for example by linking discarded plastic with the gases released when it is burned, and it uses a modal construction in “government should take actions.” However, most of the writing relies on one extended sentence, and errors in sentence boundaries, verb forms, agreement and articles make parts difficult to interpret. For instance, “when we through” does not use the correct verb form, while “this gases … is harmful” has agreement problems. The final section also shifts abruptly into “as a individual its our duty.” Practise writing several short, complete sentences first, then add a few accurate complex sentences. Check subject–verb agreement, articles and punctuation when editing.

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