Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-22

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 6.5)

In recent years, the use of plastic products has escalated due to which our entire environment is suffering. It is creating problems not only for humans but also for other species as well. In this essay, I will discuss what are the negative impacts of plastic on the environment and how individuals and authorities wise efforts can help to mitigate this problem.

To commence with, plastic products has become the part of our daily life and we are unconsciously using these products. whether its our tooth brush, shampoo bottles, bottled water or the things that we buy from market also comes with lots of plastic packaging. It results, enormous amount of wastage of plastic that ends up our landfill with this garbage which further pollute our environment. Firstly, it pollute our soil because studies have shown that it takes up to 30 years to de compost one bag of plastic. Secondly, it pollute water and cause water pollution owing to which the species lives in water also suffer. For example, in India almost all of the rivers are polluted because of the plastic like Ganga, Yamuna and so on. Government is spending big chunk of money to cleaning these water bodies.

Government should make and implement some laws against it. Initially there should be complete ban on the plastic items. The manufactures of plastic should be fined by the large amount. Because when there will be no plastic in the market then masses cannot buy it. Moreover, masses should follow all the rules made by authorities strictly so that we can save our environment. In addition to this, individuals should boycott products made with plastic and use environment friendly items such as wooden comb, tooth brush etcetera. Furthermore, sellers should also avoid unnecessary packaging to reduce plastic waste. We need to deliberately stop using plastic products in order to solve this problem. Last but not the least, instead of bottled water, folks should use stainless steel bottles and refill with water.

In conclusion, we are facing this challenge only because of our own mistakes. Now it is our responsibility to solve this issue and protect our environment and the species lived in it. Proper ban of plastic and by avoiding its use we can save our environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of soil and water pollution and the specific suggestion of stainless steel bottles. However, some points could be further extended; for instance, the discussion on government intervention is slightly repetitive. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the 'damage' is more scientifically accurate and that the solutions are linked more explicitly to the specific types of damage mentioned.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'It results, enormous amount of wastage'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'with this garbage' which lacks a clear antecedent. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the problem to the proposed solutions.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'mitigate', 'unconsciously', and 'deliberately'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'de compost' (decompose), 'big chunk of money', and 'species lived in it' (species living in it). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('plastic products has become', 'it pollute our soil') and article usage ('the species lives in water'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. While the meaning remains clear despite these errors, the lack of consistent accuracy in complex structures prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and pluralization would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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