Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-30

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 7.5)

Plastic in general is indeed bad for the environment as studies suggest. But, we also cannot imagine our lives without plastic products as they come in different types and forms.

These variations cause severe damage to the globe what we know as pollution. Plastic is harmful as it damages the whole biosphere which includes land, air and water. When plastic is dumped into landfills, it stays intact and does not degrade overtime like natural products. Burning plastic releases harmful gases into the atmosphere such as Carbon monoxide, CO2 and PM 2.5. The plastics and microplastics found in water bodies also pollute them as their chemical properties allow them to stay intact even in high pressure conditions hence, ruining the aquatic life.

Boycotting plastic could be catastrophic so, the government can gradually introduce alternative materials to plastic and let the people get familiar with them. One of the ways to do that is in slowly incorporating the alternative side by side the plastic option, highly promoting the usage of environmental-friendly items. It may take some time but the individuals can adopt overtime to plastic-free substances for their own good. They may feel weird in the beginning but, once they realize the premium nature of the alternative, it would be worth approving for.

A widely known example for this is the shopping bag. Stores and supermarkets were the first ones to adopt cloth/cotton bags for customers. The plastic bags were disposable with one use. However, the cotton bags could be used repeatedly after being washed. Corporate companies like Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore adopted these shopping bags ditching the plastic ones completely and now customers gladly accept them.

In conclusion, it is proven that plastic in all forms is harmful for the environment but, measures can be taken to reduce to consumption of plastic and steadily shift to an alternative product for a change. It takes one individual to begin the shift and with the help of government it is possible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant and supported by a concrete example regarding shopping bags. However, the development of the 'government' role is somewhat vague, focusing more on the transition to alternatives rather than specific policy actions. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more detailed explanations of how governments can enforce these changes, such as through legislation or taxation, rather than just suggesting they 'introduce' alternatives.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However', 'In conclusion', and 'One of the ways to do that'. While the progression is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the use of 'the' before 'alternative' in the third paragraph is slightly awkward. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem from the solutions. Overall, the flow of ideas is easy to follow, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate and allows for clear communication. The student uses some topic-specific terms like 'biosphere', 'microplastics', and 'degrade'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'ruining the aquatic life' (damaging/harming would be more precise) and 'worth approving for' (which is slightly unnatural). The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but it lacks the more sophisticated, precise vocabulary that would characterize a higher band score. The spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'what we know as pollution' (which should be 'which we know as pollution') and 'adopt overtime to plastic-free substances' (should be 'adapt'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some unnecessary commas, such as 'beginning but, once'. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the majority of sentences are clear. To improve, the student should focus on refining subject-verb agreement and ensuring the correct use of prepositions and relative pronouns.

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