Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Nowadays, usage of plastic has been increased in many ways. Some citizens argue that although people knows that plastic materials are harmful for nature, still people want to use it. It can damage essential things from nature and create pollution on earth.

One primary reason is that, after using plastic bottles, bags and packaging, people throw them everywhere. Because of that not only its create pollution but also increase health risk for human and animal as well. For example, animals like cow and dogs, they can eat whatever they found on ground, they chew plastic bags as well. sometimes it can be dangerous to their life. In addition to that, if citizens put plastic in the ground, it can cause soil fertility and make them unproductive.

Government do a plethora of things to prevent nature by many different ways. Firstly, they can organize camp to spread awareness of how using plastic is dangerous for nature. Secondly, they can ban plastic things like bags, bottles, packaging and start to use paper materials which are easily recyclable. In addition to that, authority should start taking penalties if someone use plastic. Visitors also can contribute while searching about plastic effect on earth via using technology. Also government should provide grant to the paper packaging so they encouraged people to use paper products instead of plastic which damages environment.

In a nutshell, if authority can start taking action in front of people and encourage public to use more paper bags instead of plastic by awarding them.

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 potential solutions from governments and individuals. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention pollution and health risks, the explanation regarding soil fertility is slightly unclear. The solutions provided are relevant, but the suggestion for 'visitors' to use technology is vague and lacks a clear connection to the problem. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific examples or logical consequences. The position is clear, but the overall depth of the argument needs to be more consistent throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In addition to that' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as in the phrase 'if citizens put plastic in the ground, it can cause soil fertility'. The concluding paragraph is quite brief and does not effectively summarize the main points of the essay. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'pollution', 'recyclable', and 'penalties'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'usage of plastic has been increased' (should be 'has increased') and 'cause soil fertility' (which implies a positive effect, whereas you meant the opposite). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('people knows', 'its create', 'government do') and article usage. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'if someone use plastic' (should be 'uses'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent verb tenses. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will help you achieve a higher band score.

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

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