Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18

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)

Nowadays, We have variety of materials for packaging. But, Plastic is one of most cheapest and harmful material which is still widely used in different form of packaging such as plastic bag, bottles for packaging in companies. In this essay, I would discuss the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and what are initiatives that should be taken by the government and people.

First of all, the process of making plastic itself is very harmful for the environment as its procedure of making emits harmful gases in the atmosphere. After that, its usage as packaging material in big companies also cause of air pollution and water pollution. For instance, under developed countries like India do not have proper method of decomposition of wastage till now. Due to that, this plastic can be eaten by stray animals such as dogs and cows. Which can choke their food pipe and they can die.

On the other hand, reducing this wastage should not be responsibility of government only. People should also be concerned about their choice of product while buying anything. Authorities should banned the usage of plastic as a packaging material in the companies and impose the fine if someone illegally using it later on. With the advancement of technology, we have new materials such as bamboo and cloth bags that can be alternative. People should be aware about the recycling of the plastic bottles. Government should organize campaigns in school regarding waste management.

In conclusion, by having new technology there so many alternate materials that can be used for packaging rather than plastic. Reduction of this should be concern of government as well as people to keep their surroundings clean and safe for themselves and their future generation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

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, such as the impact on wildlife and the need for legislative bans. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, the mention of 'under developed countries' is a broad generalization, and the discussion on solutions could be more detailed. While the position is clear throughout, the essay would benefit from more specific, well-supported arguments to move into a higher band. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the depth of analysis is limited.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a progression of ideas from the problem to the solutions. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as the transition 'After that, its usage...' and the sentence fragment 'Which can choke their food pipe...'. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent, though the connections between some ideas feel a bit forced or simplistic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'decomposition', 'wastage', and 'initiatives'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'most cheapest' (a grammatical error affecting lexical precision), 'procedure of making', and 'illegal using it'. The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but the lack of flexibility and the presence of errors in word formation and collocation prevent a higher score. The vocabulary is functional but lacks sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'We have variety of materials' (missing article), 'Plastic is one of most cheapest' (incorrect superlative form), 'Authorities should banned' (incorrect verb tense after modal), and 'if someone illegally using it' (missing auxiliary verb). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with sentence fragments like 'Which can choke their food pipe and they can die.' While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures.

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