Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-11

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)

Environmental protection is one of the most appealing agendas nowadays. The immense use of plastic has become the major cause of polluting the environment. It causes adverse damage to the surroundings which impacts human health and natural habitats. I will discuss the following paragraphs along with possible measures implemented by the government and locals.

Using plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging causes several damages to the environment. One of them is pollution. As the plastic-made items are non-degradable and leave microplastics when mixed with soil and water, it causes danger to natural resources. Thus, it may spread incurable diseases and reduce the quality of natural resources. For example, when individuals leave plastic waste on the beaches, it pollutes the ocean when mixed with the water and marine habitats swallow it unknowingly which resulting in habitat destruction. Another damage is that it ruins the beauty of the land and makes it unattractive. Extreme use of plastic ends up making a large amount of waste and sometimes municipal committees can not find a way to recycle it and end up leaving it in the open air which causes landfill and ruins the natural beauty of the place.

There are several steps that the government could implement for the public to protect the environment from being polluted. Restrict or ban the use of excessive plastic by spreading awareness through educational programs in institutions and in community centres. This approach will encourage people to reuse plastic by adopting the recycling technique. For example, in many countries, to eradicate the use of plastic the government only allows paper or reusable cloth bags. Additonally, It is not only the government's responsibility, but individuals should change their habits of using plastic by following restrictions and abide by the laws against plastic useage and adopt environment-friendly options such as glass, paper and fabric which could last longer than plastic.

Overall, efforts towards reducing plastic useage may help in the reduction of pollution and save the planet from global warming. Therefore, the government and individuals should come together to solve such environmental issue on a large scale.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage caused by plastic and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of microplastics and the shift toward reusable materials. However, the development is occasionally slightly repetitive, and the link between plastic and global warming in the conclusion is a bit abrupt as it was not explored in the body paragraphs. Overall, the position is clear, and the response fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main questions. Cohesive devices such as 'One of them is', 'Another damage is', and 'Additionally' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph ('it causes danger') could be more precise to ensure the subject is clearly linked to the preceding clause. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is clear throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with some precision. You use topic-specific terms like 'non-degradable', 'microplastics', and 'marine habitats' effectively. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'useage' (usage) and 'Additonally' (Additionally). While you demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions to reach a higher band. The current range is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication of your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, which is positive. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'which resulting in' (which results in) and 'municipal committees can not find a way to recycle it and end up leaving it' (which is slightly wordy). Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentences could be refined for better flow. The errors present do not impede communication, but more consistent control over complex structures would improve the score.

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