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)

Plastic is a non-biodegradable component. All the plastic material like plastic bags, bottles, even plastic packaging are not good for the environment. Although, it damages the environment. This essay will describe the causes of damage and also solutions can be done by government as well as individuals.

First of all, plastics products which have been used by people and thrown in water bodies like sea, oceans, ponds. Here, these moldable products got deposited to the bottom. These are non-biodegradable materials and do not get disposed. These are eaten by aquatic animals which further damage their bodies and leads to death. Thus, damages the marine life. Secondly, the plastic which is deposited on land is collected and burnt as it does not get decomposed. However, the burnt plastic is also dangerous, it gives very bad smell and creates black fumes which further pollute the air and is harmful for breathing.

Government needs to make strict rules regarding garbage maintenance. Different bins should be allotted in all areas for garbage related organic, recycle, paper, glass. Plastic material needs to recycled instead of throwing it out and making a big dump. There should be fine for those who do not follow rules. Furthermore, individuals needs to collect plastic in their homes after use and give it to shops where these can be recycled. High authorities should provide certain shops where plastics can be sell and people can get money accordingly. This will encourage folks for not to throw garbage here and there.

In conclusion, this can be seen that our daily habits can create environmental issues, also attaining good lifestyle and good habits can help to save our environment with the help of government and individuals.

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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of marine damage is clear, but the section on solutions could be more nuanced. The introduction is a bit repetitive, and the conclusion is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported with more detailed reasoning or specific examples. The position is clear throughout, but the depth of analysis remains at a functional level rather than a fully extended one.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the problem to the solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as in the sentence 'Although, it damages the environment', which lacks a clear antecedent. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the internal flow within paragraphs could be smoother to improve the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'non-biodegradable' and 'aquatic animals'. However, there are also instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'garbage maintenance' instead of 'waste management' and 'folks' which is too informal for an IELTS essay. Additionally, there are minor errors in collocation, such as 'plastics can be sell' instead of 'plastics can be sold'. A wider range of precise, academic vocabulary would be needed to achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'these... leads to death', 'individuals needs to collect') and article usage. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'this can be seen that our daily habits can create environmental issues'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be beneficial.

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