Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-01

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 7.0)

In this unprecedented era, it is an irrefutable fact that the environment is being increasingly damaged by people nowadays. Therefore, a wide range of plastic packaging contributes to significant damage in the surroundings. The governments could take appropriate actions to mitigate this problem. This essay will explain plausible deterioration and probable solutions using relevant examples in the ensuing paragraphs.

To commence with, discussing damages for widespread usage of plastics, the first and foremost is causing soil pollution. This is because it is often to see considerable amount of landfill waste. Which eventually diminishes soil fertility as plastic can stay same as it is for millions of years. To exemplify, one study conducted by the 'Environmental Awareness Council' in India has shown that about 65% of soil fertility has decreased over the past two decades due to irresponsible waste management. Moreover, it is ubiquitous to see people burning plastic waste to get rid of it, as a result it leaves dangerous plastic micro-elements in the atmosphere. This is very harmful for human health because it typically causes lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma and Bronchitis.

On the other hand, the authority can take several steps to solve this pressing issue. The governments should introduce certain educational awareness programs at academic level, so the youth could contribute to the environment at some extent. To illustrate, in India, the governors has introduced the 'Environment' subject in academic curriculum, so now students are actively participating to protect the environment by planting trees annually. Furthermore, the local body should implement stricter regulations on purchase of certain products containing plastic materials such as heavy taxes according to a tiered pricing system. They could also invent recyclable waste management for proper waste segregation.

In essence, it is undeniable that plastic materials cause a lot more damages to the environment such as minimize soil productivity, trigger severe health problems; however, the government should take appropriate actions to solve this alarming problem by imposing strict legislations and promoting educational programs.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage (soil fertility, health issues) and providing solutions (education, regulation). The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of the 'Environment' subject in India. However, the development is slightly uneven; while the health impacts are mentioned, the explanation of how plastic causes these specific diseases could be more detailed. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that the link between the problem and the specific solution is more robustly explained.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main aspects of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the sentence fragment 'Which eventually diminishes soil fertility', which should be connected to the previous clause. Overall, the flow of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with some good topic-specific collocations like 'irresponsible waste management', 'soil fertility', and 'tiered pricing system'. There are occasional inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'discussing damages for widespread usage' (should be 'damages caused by') and 'at some extent' (should be 'to some extent'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the more sophisticated, precise, or idiomatic control required for higher bands. The student successfully avoids repetition, but the lexical choices remain somewhat standard.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good attempt at using complex forms, but there are persistent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'it is often to see' is grammatically incorrect (should be 'it is common to see'), and 'the governors has introduced' contains a subject-verb agreement error. Additionally, there are minor issues with articles and prepositions throughout the text. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence structure accuracy will improve the score.

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