Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20
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 5.5)
Plastic consumption has emerged as a pressing issue worldwide, causing detrimental effects on the ecosystem, including degrading soil fertility and not being easily decomposed leading threat to wildlife. This issue can be resolved by both the government and by humans.
To start with, one of the biggest damages caused by the use of plastic is that it penetrates the land and reduces its productivity. However, this results in low rates of plantation and fewer nutrients remaining in the soil. Furthermore, the plastic creates a lot of problems for the animal kingdom as by pollution their home and leads to heinous diseases for them.
Several imperative steps should be taken by the government to keep our environment safe from the use of plastic objects. Firstly, strict rules should be imposed for the usage of plastic. Secondly, awareness should be spread among the people regarding the damage caused by plastic. For instance, a number of workshops and rallies should be organised for saving environment from plastic usage.
To conclude, plastic consumption is a deniable hazard to the environment with its multifarious effects on wildlife and the land.Apart from this sagacios approach should be fo
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which severely limits the development of ideas. The points regarding soil productivity and wildlife are mentioned but lack sufficient depth or specific examples to meet the requirements for a higher band. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which indicates a failure to fully address the task requirements. To improve, you must expand on your arguments with more detailed explanations and ensure the essay reaches the required length.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt at logical progression. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Furthermore', and 'Firstly', which help guide the reader. However, the abrupt ending of the essay disrupts the overall coherence. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the sentence 'by pollution their home', which contains grammatical errors that hinder the flow of ideas. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your ideas are fully connected and concluded properly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a reasonable range of vocabulary, such as 'detrimental', 'ecosystem', 'imperative', and 'multifarious'. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'low rates of plantation' and 'deniable hazard' (where 'undeniable' was likely intended). The vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that the words you choose are used in the correct context to avoid confusion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'not being easily decomposed leading threat to wildlife' (missing subject/verb) and 'by pollution their home' (incorrect preposition and word form). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the incomplete final sentence is a major issue. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and proofread your work to catch minor errors in tense and word form.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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