Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-17

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)

Non decomposable substances such as poly bags, poly bottles and wrapers out of non broken materials are sabotaging our environment. In my opinion it is not only bad for the environment, it also affect a lot of lives. This essay will represent how non biodegradable material affects the earth.

There are list of items that are being affected by plastic. First and foremost will be environment and surroundings. It is a substance that does not decompose and stays as it is. Making the surroundings dirty and damaging our forest habitat. As these items stay under the soil and harming the roots of the trees.

Secondly, There are a lot of animals that are stray and eat these substances and die out of it. The research shows that around 56% of animals die because of plastic every Year.

Thirdly, it can cause a huge problem it this kind of material will sticks to something. For instance, I clearly remember that the drainage system of of my town got damage just because of one plastic bag sticks to main pipeline. Subsequently It can ruin a well designed and maintain system.

However, This problem can be solved by some measures. i believe that if the government makes a separate bin necessary for recyclable items it helps a lot. Moreover, There are some countries and cities where it is necessary but the only problem is some people, They do not care about anyone excepts for themselves. For these individuals the government should impose a fine. That would be a great help.

All in all, Plastic can be a good material if it is used properly. As it is recycleable and reuseable

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 governments and individuals. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The environmental impact section is clear, but the solutions section is less detailed. The point about 'separate bins' is a good start, but it could be expanded with more specific examples of government policy or individual responsibility. The conclusion is abrupt and does not fully summarize the main points or restate the position effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a fully developed argument with specific, illustrative examples rather than brief statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'There are' or 'First and foremost'. Some transitions are slightly awkward, for example, 'Thirdly, it can cause a huge problem it this kind of material will sticks to something.' The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the overall coherence of the writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'poly bags' instead of 'plastic bags' and 'wrapers out of non broken materials' which is unclear. The phrase 'die out of it' is also non-standard. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'non-biodegradable' and 'recyclable', the overall range is limited. To improve, the student should focus on learning more sophisticated collocations and avoiding informal or repetitive phrasing to convey ideas more accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it also affect', 'plastic bag sticks'), incorrect verb forms ('got damage', 'is recycleable and reuseable'), and punctuation errors, such as unnecessary capitalization ('There', 'First', 'Thirdly'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage would be highly beneficial.

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

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