Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-08

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)

Bags, bottles and packaging that are made from plastic negatively impact the environment. This essay will discuss the adverse affects inflicted by plastic to the environment and propose solutions for the governments and individuals to address this issue.

By principle, plastic is non biodegradable. This means that there is no way to recycle it. Therefore, whatever plastic that we are manufacturing is eventually just a waste product by fate. As opposed to how waste is generally repurposed and recycled whenever any thing plastic is discarded it just permanently occupies and fills up our landfills. Over time, there has been an increase in land areas occupied by plastic waste causing a rise in pollution in major cities.

Governments and citizens need to take active responsibility to avoid the use of plastic as much as possible and rely on better alternatives. The governments can enforce laws against companies that use excessive plastic packaging and encourage use of non synthetic biodegradable packaging. For example, A law can be implemented to ban the sale and purchase of dairy like milk and yoghurt in plastic packaging . Any company that violates the rule and people that purchase such products should be fined hence discouraging and effectively reducing plastic consumption making them rely on alternatives like glass packaging.

In conclusion, the detrimental affects caused by plastic to the environment can not be ignored. The general public and governments can both take measures to effectively tackle this problem by reinforcing rules that promote the use of alternatives to plastic.

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. However, the development is somewhat limited. The claim that plastic is 'non-biodegradable' and 'no way to recycle it' is factually inaccurate and an over-generalization, which weakens the argument. While the solutions provided (government regulation and individual responsibility) are relevant, they lack depth. The example regarding milk and yogurt packaging is specific, but the essay would benefit from a more nuanced discussion of the complexities involved in plastic waste management to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Therefore,' 'As opposed to,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the logical flow between sentences could be improved. For instance, the jump from the claim that plastic cannot be recycled to the issue of landfills is clear, but the connection between individual responsibility and the specific example of banning dairy packaging could be more smoothly integrated. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, though it lacks sophistication. There are some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'adverse affects' (should be 'effects') and 'By principle' (which is not the standard idiomatic expression). The phrase 'dairy like milk and yoghurt' is slightly informal. While the student uses some relevant terms like 'non-biodegradable' and 'detrimental,' the range is somewhat limited, and the repetition of 'plastic' and 'packaging' suggests a need for a wider variety of synonyms and more precise academic collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, most notably the confusion between 'affect' (verb) and 'effect' (noun), which occurs twice. Other issues include minor punctuation errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'whatever plastic that we are manufacturing is eventually just a waste product by fate.' While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The control over complex structures is present but inconsistent, and the accuracy of these structures needs improvement.

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