Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-14

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)

Products made from plastic are harmful to our ecosystem .This essay would discuss the the impact of materials made with plastic on our environment and what measures persons or the authorities can do to stop this problem.

With the global rise in the indiscriminate dumping of waste products to the environment from factors of production, it can be seen that the rise in the use of plastic products poses serious issues to the earth as they are not bio-degradable , they tend to loiter and fill up land fills site and clog up water ways which has led to flooding in places where such incidence do not usually occur.

Also this is affecting wildlife and human lives because these plastic get to the sea and are swallowed by aquatic animals which has lead to the death of multiple animals, humans have not being spared from these dangerous implications because from research carried out in a study around three years ago it could be seen that most individuals are having more plastic fragments in their bodies and this has being linked with the rising cause of cancers in majority of young people below forty.

Although these problems exist, I believe there are several measures that the general public and those in authority could do to cub this threat that plastic product is posing to the earth , wildlife and that of the environment. The government should ban the use of single use plastic objects like straws and take out cups and enforce more use of plant based products that are more bio- degradable. Also proper sorting and disposal of plastic products should be done on a household level .

The government should build more factories to hold and process these plastic waste products and recycle them to new products so they won't end up in the landfill.

To conclude although plastic can and packaging has a devastating impact on our ecosystem, The government and individuals can help reduce those issues by proper sorting and disposing them and building more recycling plants.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of microplastics in human bodies and the suggestion of banning single-use plastics. However, the development is occasionally slightly repetitive, and the link between the 'factors of production' and 'indiscriminate dumping' could be more clearly articulated. Overall, the position is clear throughout, and the response fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problems from the solutions. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Also,' 'Although,' and 'To conclude,' though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, but there are instances where the flow could be improved by using more varied linking phrases to connect the impact on wildlife with the impact on human health more fluidly. The progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, with some good topic-specific terms like 'bio-degradable,' 'landfills,' and 'single-use plastic.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'loiter' (which is usually used for people) instead of 'litter,' and 'cub' instead of 'curb.' The phrase 'factors of production' is used in a slightly awkward context. While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., missing spaces after periods), subject-verb agreement errors ('these plastic get'), and tense inconsistencies ('humans have not being spared'). While these errors are frequent, they do not significantly impede communication. To reach a higher band, the student needs to focus on proofreading for basic errors and increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy.

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

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