Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27

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)

There is no gainsaying that the environment is being degraded day by day. As we know, the use of plastic is causing adverse impacts on the environment. Plastic is damaging the quality of water and soil. However, public and official authorities can make a big difference in this issue. I will discuss the reasons and solutions in further upcoming paragraphs.

To commence with the causes, there are numerous reasons that why the plastic is putting impacts on our natural habitat. The first and foremost reason is the utilization of plastic bags, bottles, and packaging is enhancing the level of water and soil degradation at a higher level. As most of the people are throwing these plastic objects in nearby lakes and rivers, as well as on roads and streets, which is not only creating worse effects for individuals and the ambiance but also for animals who eat those plastics. To epitomize this, according to a BBC report in India in 2023, 70% of people were throwing plastic away in public places. As a result, the number of deaths of stray animals increased, and the air and soil pollution was also burgeoning.

Apart from its effects, some measures can be taken to mitigate this issue by both the masses and government bodies. A prominent solution is considered to be that the government and individuals can do something good by joining together, as the government can set up garbage bins in public places where every person can throw the plastic in the bins, which will be a great help to reduce the pollution. For instance, a survey was conducted in the USA in 2024 where most of the folks were giving more priority to using the garbage bins in terms of throwing plastic. Hence, the life expectancy for individuals and the quality of the environment improved.

In conclusion, after analyzing all the above-mentioned different aspects, it can be asserted that although the use of plastic is making the environment more adverse, if both the government and people follow some serious steps collectively, then they can bring a lot of change to keep the ambiance cleaner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the explanation of how plastic affects the environment is limited to littering and animal ingestion, missing broader issues like microplastics or chemical leaching. The solutions provided are also quite basic, focusing primarily on the use of garbage bins. To achieve a higher band, you should provide more nuanced arguments and explore the systemic nature of the problem, such as industrial production or policy-level bans, rather than focusing solely on individual littering habits.

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 causes from solutions. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'To commence with', 'Apart from its effects', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and the referencing is occasionally imprecise, such as the phrase 'this issue' which sometimes lacks a clear antecedent. The flow is generally smooth, but the progression of ideas could be more sophisticated to reach a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'degraded', 'adverse impacts', 'mitigate', and 'life expectancy'. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'ambiance' used to mean 'environment' or 'surroundings', and 'burgeoning' used slightly incorrectly in context. Some collocations are also unnatural, such as 'enhancing the level of water and soil degradation'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with articles ('the plastic', 'the environment'), preposition usage, and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'there are numerous reasons that why the plastic is putting impacts'). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'the utilization of plastic bags... is enhancing the level of water and soil degradation at a higher level'. These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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