Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-21
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)
In recent years, it has been discovered that the environment is filled with rubbish such as plastic bag, empty bottles and containers and all sorts of packaging materials which are not good for the environment. This essay will examine the harm that lack of recycling caused and propose effective strategies to encourage more sustainable wastes management practices.
To commence with, the wreck that failure to practice recycling caused is more severe to the public and its environment. Most of the oceans are filled with wastes rather than fish. This prevents large of fish to be available for peoples' consumption. My country Nigeria, for instance, all of our oceans are filled with rubbish which create rise in scarcity of fish.
Furthermore, I believe the authority and the people should work towards alleviating this issue. Firstly, the government should create an organization for recycling and an awareness should be made in order for the citizen to imbibe an act of recycling. Secondly, the public should adhere to the policy created by the authority in order to live in a suitable and attractive environment.
In conclusion, in my opinion, in order to have a clean environment and to encourage an effective recycling, the policy maker should make a campaigh towards this act for people to be involve in recycling.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: the environmental damage caused by plastic and potential solutions. However, the response is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. The ideas are presented but remain underdeveloped; for instance, the mention of ocean pollution in Nigeria is a good start but lacks specific detail or explanation. To reach a higher band, you must expand your points with more thorough explanations and examples to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', 'Firstly', 'Secondly'). Additionally, some transitions are slightly awkward, such as the opening of the second paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choice, such as 'the wreck that failure to practice recycling caused' and 'create rise in scarcity'. Some terms are used repetitively, such as 'environment' and 'recycling'. To improve, you should focus on using more precise collocations and a wider variety of topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'non-biodegradable waste', 'marine ecosystems', or 'mitigation strategies'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder clarity, such as 'plastic bag' (should be plural), 'prevents large of fish to be available' (incorrect structure), and 'campaigh' (spelling error). There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and pluralization will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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