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)

As most of us are aware of the damage caused to the environment by various hazardous materials, one such being the plastic. Use of it has various impact on the biodiversity of life. I would further discuss what causes and what we as citizens can do to minimize or prevent these damages from further increasing.

Plastic is non biodegradable and therefore once it's in the environment it stays for life time. This further damages the surroundings and also causes life threats to various lives around it. to For instance, when food wrapped in plastic is disposed into garbage, many animals and birds feed on the food and many at times the plastic gets into their body causing them to chok and eventually sometimes leading to death. The beauty of the surrounding areas is also affected. Furthermore, when these waste is washed down the drainage system into main canal or river, it causes threat to the aquatic life leading to imbalance in the ecosystem.

However we can minimise this loss when citizens and also official authorities take preventive measures. For example, several waste bins could be installed at short distances in various sites. Schools and other education facilities can have curriculum introduced to children on the importance of our environment and how we can contribute to reduce the waste and keep our environment clean. When children are thought at young age they tend to instill those habits at an early stage of their lives. Officials can also ensure that manufactures who uses plastics in their production are banned and their operating licence is cancelled. Those who damage the environment is also heavily fined as well.

I believe every small step taken towards the betterment of our environment will not only reduce waste but also build a better and healthier future for the next generation. Therefore, as residents of this nation we should contribute whatever we can to make our environment a better and safer place to live.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and proposing solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the impact on wildlife and the suggestion for educational curricula. However, some points could be extended further; for instance, the suggestion to ban manufacturers is a strong idea but lacks specific detail on how this would be implemented or its potential economic impact. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0 level of development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problem from the solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'For example' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. There are minor issues with referencing, such as 'these waste' (should be 'this waste') and 'those habits', which slightly affect the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the structure supports the reader's understanding effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'biodiversity', 'non-biodegradable', and 'aquatic life'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'life time' (should be 'a lifetime'), 'life threats' (should be 'threats to life'), and 'thought at young age' (should be 'taught at a young age'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the score to a 6.0 as the range is not yet sufficiently flexible or precise for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('manufactures who uses', 'those who damage... is') and article usage errors ('into main canal'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor slips such as 'to For instance'. The errors are noticeable but rarely impede communication. To reach a higher band, the student needs to demonstrate more consistent control over complex structures and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips.

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