Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-06

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)

Environment issue due to plastic use is the major concern all around the world. Products that are made of a plastic such as plastic bags, bottles and packaging are adversely affect the environment. This essay will discuss how does the plastic damage the environment and what measures should the government take to tackle this problem.

Plastic can harm the environment in several ways. The major impact due to plastic is on the agricultural land. It reduces the important soil components and fertility of soil. Additionally, plastic kills natural insects which help crops to grow naturally. As a result, a crop cannot grow sufficiently. Moreover, people's use different products of plastic, which all are non-recyclable, resulting all the rubbish is thrown out into the ocean. Consequently, the plastic is taken up by the ocean creatures leads to death of the creatures.

There are several measures could be taken to solve this problem. Firstly, the government should impose strict policies to reduce the use of plastics. For instance, the government should ban on non-biodegradable plastics and impose higher fines on its use. Aa a human, individuals should take care of our environment by reduces the use of plastic and promote the use of paper bag, metal bottle and convenient packaging to save the environment.

To conclude, plastic can cause serious consequences on the environment such as infertility of agricultural land and death of the ocean creatures and the responsibility to save the environment is not only for government, but also for humans. Measures such as, strict legislation and restrictions on use of plastic should be taken to solve the problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant, though some points, such as the claim that plastic kills natural insects, lack scientific clarity and could be better supported with more precise examples. The position is clear throughout, and the essay follows a logical structure. To reach a higher band, ensure that the arguments are more thoroughly developed with specific, real-world evidence rather than general statements. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points and reiterates the need for a collaborative approach between authorities and the public.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Moreover', 'Consequently', and 'Firstly' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the connection between the agricultural impact and the ocean pollution in the second paragraph could be more fluid. Referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for an essay of this length. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices to create a more natural flow between sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'non-biodegradable' and 'adversely affect'. However, there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'people's use different products' (should be 'people use') and 'infertility of agricultural land' (which is slightly awkward; 'degradation' would be more precise). The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but more sophisticated or precise terminology would be required for a higher band score.

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 several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'Products that are made of a plastic... are adversely affect' (should be 'adversely affect'), 'how does the plastic damage' (should be 'how plastic damages'), and 'Aa a human' (typo). There are also issues with article usage and verb forms. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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