Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-04

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 6.0)

In the modern era, increasing number of people have been relying on plastic goods such as bags, bottles and various packaging. This trend has increased the plastic waste production, which can have adverse effects on environment. This essay will discuss the effects of plastic waste on the environment along with the steps that can be taken to mitigate the effects by governments and individuals.

To begin with, plastic is not degradable due to which any plastic rubbish will stay there for centuries filling the ocean and land with pollutants. The pollutants in water and land will eventually be eaten by the animals which could be fatal for them resulting in disturbed eco system. For example a survey conducted in various metropolitan cities have reveled that majority of death of animals are due the plastic waste. Moreover, if the plastic is burred in the ground it will contaminate the ground water with various chemicals, consequently effecting humans and other creature.

To reduce the plastic pollution, society and governments could take various measures. The primary solution to reduce the plastic waste is to switch to the biodegradable material such as wood, glass and paper. Additionally, reducing the non-reusable such as plastic bag, water bottle and many others items will significantly reduce the plastic waste. Along with that, government should encourage people and companies to recycle as much as plastic as they could. Another solution is to impose ban on non-recyclable plastic products. The above all steps will help to reduce plastic waste production.

To conclude, plastic will have various negative effects on environment including danger to animal and humans. And promoting bio degradable material will help society to reduce waste production along with that government should encourage recycling of plastic and impose ban on non-recyclable material.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and proposing solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant, though some points, such as the claim that 'majority of death of animals are due the plastic waste', lack specific evidence or nuance, bordering on over-generalisation. The position is clear throughout, and the structure is logical. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more detailed explanations or concrete examples to support their arguments, as some points remain somewhat superficial.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem from the solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the phrase 'The above all steps', which is not idiomatic. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, covering the topic of environmental pollution effectively. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary like 'mitigate', 'degradable', and 'contaminate'. However, there are some word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'plastic rubbish will stay there' (should be 'persist') and 'effecting humans' (should be 'affecting'). Spelling errors like 'reveled' (revealed) and 'burred' (buried) also occur. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the environment', 'the plastic waste') and preposition usage. For instance, 'due the plastic waste' is missing a preposition, and 'effecting' is used instead of the verb 'affecting'. There are also minor punctuation issues. While the errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage would improve the accuracy.

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