Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31

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)

In our world today, plastics wastes are causing so many environmental damages. The widespread popularity of single use plastics like bags, water bottles and other plastic packaging are causing disruption in the ecosystem. This assay will discuss the problems associated with this, and the role of government and individual will play in keeping environment safe.

There are several damages caused by plastics in our environment. One of the major reasons is the disruption of the water ecosystem, the accumulation of plastics in the ocean has resulted in reduced of oxygen in water for for aquatic lives. Furthermore the break down of large plastics into smaller one often referred to as microplastics can enter the food chain and can be ingested by human or fishes in the ocean causing injuries or even death.

Our government can make strict regulation and other measures like placing a ban on the use of single-use or disposable plastics thereby encourage the use of reusable ones. Also government can increase taxes on single use plastics to discourage the public from relying on them.

Individually, awareness campaign to encourage use of reusable products like bottles, bags and other plastic packaging. individuals can encouraged to always drop of plastic materials in the appropriate site set aside by government so that it can be packed and recycled.

In conclusion, plastic wastes have caused so many serious environmental damages that are detrimental to both aquatic and human lives. Governments can make strict regulations or ban the use of single use plastics, also individuals have many roles to play by creating awareness campaign encouraging the use of reusable plastics.

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 is somewhat superficial. For example, the explanation of microplastics is brief, and the solutions provided—such as 'awareness campaign'—lack specific detail or concrete examples. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more depth and provide specific, real-world examples to support your arguments. The position is clear throughout, but the overall development of ideas remains at a basic level, which limits the score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a progression of ideas from the problem to the solutions. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, the transition 'Also' is used at the start of multiple sentences, and some sentences lack smooth linking words to connect ideas effectively. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the internal cohesion within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases to create a more natural flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You use basic terms like 'damages', 'problems', and 'things' repeatedly. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'reduced of oxygen' (should be 'a reduction in oxygen') and 'drop of plastic materials' (should be 'dispose of'). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated or less common vocabulary prevents a higher score. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to environmental issues and using more precise terminology to describe the impact of pollution.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'plastics wastes are causing' (should be 'plastic waste is causing'), 'the role of government and individual will play' (missing articles and pluralization), and 'individuals can encouraged' (passive voice error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles.

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