Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

At present, the ratio of plastic use has been increasing day by day, while plastic bags, plastic bottles, and plastic packaging are adversely affecting the environment. The excessive use has caused serious environmental problems. This essay will discuss plastic pollution and the measures to control it, will in the following paragraphs.

To commence with, there are numerous adverse affact has been caused by plastic wastage. First and foremost, it affects the land field pollution the most; to explain it, it will stay in the land field for too long, which will be eaten by many marine animals mistakenly, which often leads to injury or death. Also, plastic breaks into tiny particles, and it will be contaminated in water, soil, and even in food, which also affects human health. For example, a survey illustrated that due to plastic waste, around half of the world's water is polluted, and it affects the majority of individuals, with different kinds of illness.

Nevertheless, this situation might be tackled by taking some effective steps not only by the government but also by people. Firstly, the government has to enforce some strict laws against organizations that are using plastic in huge level. In addition, people do not have to take a plastic bag every time from the shopkeeper; they need to use alternatives such as paper bags and cloth bags. For example, in the past, old people did not use any kind of plastic stuff in their daily life; it is evident by the World Health Organization.

In conclusion, it can be reiterated that plastic use has risen every day will negatively affect pollution, although it can be tackled by local and central councils with the support of natives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the environmental damage caused by plastic and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as the impact on marine life and the role of government legislation. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, the claim that 'half of the world's water is polluted' lacks nuance and is not well-supported. While the position is clear, the essay would benefit from more detailed explanations and specific, realistic examples to move beyond general statements. The conclusion is a bit repetitive, merely restating the introduction rather than synthesizing the main points effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with,' 'First and foremost,' and 'Nevertheless,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as the phrase 'will in the following paragraphs' at the end of the introduction, which is grammatically incomplete and unnecessary. Referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the use of cohesive devices lacks the flexibility required for a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'adversely affecting' and 'enforce,' but there are also instances of imprecise word choice or minor errors, such as 'land field' (landfill) and 'huge level' (large scale). The phrase 'old people' is also slightly informal for an essay. While communication is never impeded, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and the errors in collocation prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout, such as 'there are numerous adverse affact has been caused' (subject-verb agreement and spelling), 'it will be contaminated in water' (passive voice misuse), and 'people do not have to take' (inappropriate modal usage for the context). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is occasionally clunky. While the meaning is clear, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction limits the score to the 5.5–6.0 range.

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