Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-05

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 usage of plastic bags and bottles have been in the surge since the independence of our country. The demand for these plastic items have also directly contributed to the detrimental effects of the surrounding environment.

For instance, whenever we go to a shop, we find the item that we are procuring is usually packed in a polythene bag. That plastic bag is then littered into the soil cause of improper waste management. This in return causes sewage blocks as the bag remains in the soil for years. We are familiar with the point that polythene bags are non-biodegradable, hence the huge sum of used bags are the main contributor to the existing pollution. It is very common to find plastic bottles accumulating in the sides of the public roads.

In our country, it is common to see cattles and dogs on the street, roaming around freely. These cows often consume these leftovers in the trash hoping to find some food products. Nevertheless, they are prone to eat the plastic bag which is very harmful for them. This has become a major issue causing the deaths of many stray animals where the death reported is mainly due to the consuming of polythene items,

Moreover, the accumulation of these products has not only affected the animals, the humans have also been the bait for this. The water that we drink for these PET bottles have a deterministic effects on our health. Hot food items packed in these plastic boxes as a take away container in many popular hotels have proven to cause plastic poisoning in the long term.

The government should undertake serious steps on this underlying issue. the government can impose a law stating that all vendors and merchants must start the usage of paper based packaging items in place of the plastic ones. The individuals can also play a important role by preferring to use copper or glass bottles for drinking and storing water alternative to plastic. This not only proves to be beneficial but also reduces the pollution to the environment.

In my own house, myself and my family have adopted to the term "NO PLASTIC'. We follow a strict rule where we avoid plastic in whichever way possible. This turned to be affirmative since we have less items that are non biodegradable and thereby reducing the waste significantly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, identifying environmental damage caused by plastic and suggesting solutions for both governments and individuals. Your ideas are relevant and supported by personal examples, such as the impact on stray animals and your family's 'NO PLASTIC' policy. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are more fully developed. For instance, while you mention 'plastic poisoning' in the long term, explaining the mechanism or providing a more specific example would strengthen the response. Overall, the position is clear and the task requirements are met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'For instance', 'Nevertheless', and 'Moreover', to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions between sentences could be smoother. For example, the jump from the impact on animals to the impact on humans is a bit abrupt. Additionally, ensure that referencing is always clear; in some places, the connection between the pronoun and the antecedent could be more precise to improve the overall progression of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'non-biodegradable', 'detrimental', and 'accumulation'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you use 'in the surge' instead of 'on the rise', 'deterministic effects' instead of 'detrimental effects', and 'bait for this' which is not the correct idiomatic usage in this context. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage to reach a higher band. Focusing on collocations will help improve your precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('The usage... have been', 'The demand... have also'), and minor punctuation errors, such as the comma splice in the third paragraph. Additionally, there are some awkward phrasings like 'adopted to the term' instead of 'adopted the policy'. While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and refining your use of articles and prepositions.

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