Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-27

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)

Usage of plastic material has become a major concern in many parts of the country globally. Environmentalists have proven via various surveys that plastic equipment such as bottles and containers along with bags often have a harmful effect on the environment. This essay will discuss the causes followed by some viable solutions.

First and foremost, in this modernized era, a surge in the use of plastic bags have been observed primarily in the local departmental stores and local markets. Plastic causes severe environmental damage as it cannot be recycled and reused and it takes long years to decompose plastic which affects the global ecosystem. Additionally, it impacts the marine life as well as plastic pollution can be seen on the coast of sea and oceans. For instance, individuals residing in big metropolitan cities often throw garbage near the oceans and rivers which directly harm the marine ecosystem.

To tackle this situation, government can take various initiatives to make the citizens aware by organizing camps and sessions about the severe damages that plastic can have on the environment, human beings and wildlife. Furthermore, society members themselves should strictly cut the use of plastic bags and bottles and should divert towards the use of paper bags in order to build a healthy and safe environment.

To conclude, although government has already banned the use of plastic in various regions, however, I sincerely believe that government officials should punish the lawbreakers so that the common public can follow this rule strictly. It is really crucial to protect the environment or else it would have harmful effects on the ecosystem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing the damage plastic does to the environment, such as marine pollution and slow decomposition, and suggests relevant solutions for both governments and individuals. The student maintains a clear position throughout the essay. However, the ideas are somewhat generalized and could be extended further with deeper explanations or more robust examples. For instance, mentioning specific impacts on wildlife or detailing government policies beyond awareness campaigns would enhance the development of ideas. Nevertheless, all prompt requirements are met, aligning well with the Band 6.5 or 7 descriptors, and the response is safely placed at Band 6.0 due to some under-development of the supporting arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph-by-paragraph structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs addressing causes and solutions, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'First and foremost', 'Additionally', and 'To tackle this situation'. However, some elements of cohesion are a bit mechanical or repetitive, and referencing could be smoother. For instance, the transition in the conclusion ('although government has already banned... however, I sincerely believe') creates a slightly awkward double-conjunction structure. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but overall the logical progression and cohesive control fit a solid Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'environmentalists', 'ecosystem', 'marine life', and 'decompose'. There are attempts at less common lexical items, though some collocations and word choices are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'plastic equipment' instead of 'plastic items' or 'plastic products'. Furthermore, there is a minor contradiction in stating that plastic 'cannot be recycled and reused' when in reality it often can be, though this is a minor conceptual slip rather than purely linguistic. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing present. For example, in the second paragraph, the subject-verb agreement is flawed: 'a surge in the use of plastic bags have been observed' should be 'has been observed'. Additionally, there is a tense and modal inconsistency in the third paragraph ('government can take... should divert') and a clumsy conjunction pairing in the conclusion ('although... however'). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the arguments without major difficulty, which justifies a Band 6.0 score.

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