Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Many nations are struggling to reduce plastic wastes such as plastic bottles, plastic bags and plastic packaging which are bad for the environment. It can cause air pollution and effect the soil fertility. However, there are a few steps that can be taken by the government and individuals to deal with this problem.

The main damage plastic has caused so far is air pollution. It has been proved that plastic can not be degraded by it's own. So, many people generally burn the plastic, as a result it release harmful gases such as carbon monoxide. These gases get dissolved in the air which reduces the amount of oxygen from the atmosphere. Moreover, in some place such Australia these gases has reacted with ozone layers and caused depletion of ozone layer. Consequently, air gets polluted which can cause many health issues such as Asthma and skin cancer.

Furthermore, many individuals dump the plastic wastes in the soil. Thus, the amount of plastic has increased in the soil and mixed with soil nutrients which has significantly reduced the population of useful microorganism since their food is compromised by the plastic. Therefore, the soil quality has degraded which affects the food productions.

To address this issue, there are a few measures that governments can take. To begin with, they should ban the plastic use completely by implementing strict laws such as huge fines on grocery stores who use plastic bags more often. Secondly, governments should educate people about the consequences of plastic use through educational seminars. In addition, people should also use metal bottles or utensils instead of plastic, which can be frequently used several times. Lastly, grocery stores should be encouraged to provide shoppers with re-useable bags despite plastic bags.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment because it has increased the air pollution and compromised the soil fertility. However, this problem can be deal by implementing strict laws against plastic use. Moreover, people can be encouraged to use substitute of plastics.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage (air pollution, soil degradation) and proposing solutions (government regulation, individual action). The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. However, the explanation of the ozone layer depletion is scientifically inaccurate and somewhat tangential, which slightly weakens the argument. The position is clear throughout, and the structure is logical. To reach a higher band, ensure that the examples provided are factually sound and directly support the main points without drifting into over-generalised or incorrect scientific claims.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, such as air pollution, soil damage, and solutions. Cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'To begin with' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem from the solution. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the connection between the ozone layer point and the rest of the paragraph could be tighter. Overall, the text is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, covering environmental topics such as 'degraded', 'atmosphere', and 'microorganism'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'effect' instead of 'affect', and 'it's own' instead of 'its own'. The phrase 'despite plastic bags' is used incorrectly in the final paragraph, where 'instead of' would be more appropriate. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary, the errors in collocation and word form occasionally distract the reader. Expanding the range of synonyms and focusing on precise word usage would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several recurring grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('these gases has reacted', 'this problem can be deal') and incorrect pronoun usage ('it's own'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. While the meaning is rarely obscured, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for basic agreement and tense consistency would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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