Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-26

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)

Usage of plastic has been a threat to the environment. Almost all of our commodities consists of plastic components which is also gradually increasing the harm on the environment. Visible downside of the excessive use of plastic could be witnessed in nature.

Deteriorating health of our environment has a lot of reasons, although plastic plays one of the major factors to worsen the surroundings. Due to plastic being a non-bio degradable item, meaning it cannot be broken down or decomposed by natural biological processes like bacteria or micro-organisms. The remainder of It stays in the surroundings forever causing side-effects. It not only damages flora but also fauna, wildlife has been thriving on the sheer gratitude of humans to keep forests clean but the increase in plastic use have resulted in devastating side-effects for the animal kingdom.

We as the smarter species on this planet should take charge over making the environment better, keeping the integrity of natural zones and wildlife areas. Together we should requests for the government administration to take stern actions on usage of plastic and non-biodegradable items. It is crucial to prioritize health of the planet over convenience, production of cheap plastic products should be substituted to bio-degradable products. Using sustainable options should be encouraged through campaigns and advertisement.

It is evident that setting strict rules are the only option left for the betterment of keeping our environment safe. Once comprehensive understanding on damages of plastic use is spread across the people it will be easier for the government to put the rules in action.

In example, all grocery stores should increase usage of paper bags over plastic bags. Packaging companies should promote sustainable alternatives. Utilization of reuse water vessels needs to be encouraged in schools and communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the environmental damage caused by plastic and the solutions for governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of non-biodegradable properties and the suggestion for paper bags. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the discussion on 'side-effects' for wildlife is vague and lacks specific examples or depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations or concrete evidence. The position is clear, but the overall structure of the argument could be more cohesive to ensure the reader follows your logic more effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural. For example, 'In example' is an incorrect collocation; 'For instance' or 'For example' would be more appropriate. Additionally, some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, such as the jump from discussing government action to the specific examples in the final paragraph. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words will help the flow of your writing and make the connections between your arguments more explicit.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'non-bio degradable', 'sustainable', and 'commodities'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'sheer gratitude of humans' (which does not fit the context) and 'reuse water vessels' (instead of 'reusable'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your expression. To improve, focus on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—and ensure you are using vocabulary that accurately reflects your intended meaning in a formal context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('Almost all of our commodities consists' should be 'consist') and incorrect preposition usage ('requests for the government' should be 'request the government'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences and minor errors in sentence construction. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to keep the score in the 6.0 range. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and sentence boundaries will be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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