Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-03

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)

The use of plastic has become increasingly common in different forms including bags. bottles and packaging in every part of the world which create considerable problems for the atmosphere. Plastic is damaging environment distinct ways, and governments and individuals can contribute in order to mitigate this issue in an effective way.

One major problem of the use of plastic is that it increases pollution in the environment. The use of plastic is increasing with each passing day. After using plastic items, people usually throw on the ground instead of either reusing or recycling them. In this way, land pollution increases because it is non-degrade and decreases the soil quality.

To tackle this issue, government intervention is extremely important. The government authorities can raise awareness among public through campaings, awareness programs or social media not only about the negative consequences of excessive use of plastic good in their everyday lives but also about environment pollution. When people would be educated about these issues, they can limit the use of such products.

In addition, people also can play an active role to eliminate the use of plastic. Instead of buy plastic items, individuals should buy such products that are environmentally friendly. If people stop to purchase these goods, manufacturing companies stop to produce such items. As a result, along with land and air pollution, it would help to save the resources that are depleting due to producing new products.

In conclusion, plastic has become the biggest concern to contaminate the environment, this issue can be reduced with the help of government and common people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage caused by plastic and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation of land pollution is clear but could be strengthened with more specific examples of how plastic affects wildlife or marine ecosystems. The position is consistent throughout, and the structure follows a logical progression. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more depth in your arguments, perhaps by elaborating on the long-term consequences of plastic accumulation or discussing specific, successful government policies from other countries.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as government intervention or individual responsibility. Cohesive devices like 'In addition', 'As a result', and 'In conclusion' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the connection between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall readability. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'non-degrade' (though this should be 'non-biodegradable') and 'mitigate'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'plastic good' instead of 'plastic goods' and 'throw on the ground' instead of 'discard them'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary. Avoid repeating simple words like 'use' and 'plastic' too frequently; try using synonyms like 'utilization', 'synthetic materials', or 'polymers' where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'people usually throw on the ground' (missing object), 'stop to purchase' (should be 'stop purchasing'), and 'When people would be educated' (incorrect tense/modal usage). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors, such as the comma splice in the conclusion. To achieve a higher score, focus on mastering verb patterns (gerunds vs. infinitives) and ensuring subject-verb agreement. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help.

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