Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-02

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)

It is irrefutable that plastic harms the environment to a great extent. Plastic pollutes lands and water, degrades the fertility of the soil and harms animals disrupting the entire ecosystem. In this essay, I will discuss my view points and suggest some steps in order to prevent the damage caused by plastic items.

The environmental damage caused by plastics is severe and often extreme. Plastic toys, bags, bottles remain in land and water for thousands of years as they are not easy to dissolve being a biodegradable product. This causes a lot of pollution, soil looses its fertility, being in the water it damages to the life of aquatic animals and causes breathing problems for all living beings which certainly leads to death. Moreover, it imbalances our ecosystem.

However, the authorities concerned and individuals can turn the tide and mend the damage done to the environment to a great extent.

For that they both need to play their role efficiently. There should be proper dustbins maintained in order to throw plastic items in a separate recycle bin. If not government could charge high fines from the individuals who are not obeying the rules. Additionally, plastics should be banned everywhere instead use jute bags or glass bottles which can be used again. For example, South Africa has restricted the manufacture and usage of plastic bags by enacting parliamentary legislation.

In conclusion, plastic is an imminent threat to our world and if we both - the government and the individuals work hand in hand, then the chances are one day, we would be able to see a world where plastic is not a problem anymore.

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 clearly presented. However, the development is somewhat superficial; for instance, the explanation of how plastic harms the ecosystem is repetitive and lacks depth. While the position is clear throughout, the essay would benefit from more detailed examples or a more nuanced exploration of the challenges involved in implementing the suggested solutions. Overall, it meets the requirements of the task well but remains at a general level of discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

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 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Additionally' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the connection between the environmental impact and the proposed solutions could be more tightly integrated. Referencing is generally clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing for clear communication of ideas. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'irrefutable', 'imminent', and 'enacting', which are used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'not easy to dissolve being a biodegradable product' (which is factually contradictory, as plastic is generally non-biodegradable) and 'damages to the life of aquatic animals'. These errors do not impede communication but prevent the essay from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'soil looses its fertility' (spelling error: 'loses') and 'damages to the life' (incorrect verb usage). Punctuation is generally functional, though some sentences are slightly clunky. The range of structures is sufficient to convey the argument, but the frequency of minor errors in subject-verb agreement and word formation keeps the score in the mid-range. More consistent control over complex structures would improve the score.

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