Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-28

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 7.5)

Plastic bags, bottles and packaging have become an essential part of modern life. However, the increasing use of plastic has caused serious environmental problems. This essay will discuss the damage caused by plastic and the measures that governments and individuals can take to address this issue.

One of the main environmental problems caused by plastic is pollution. Unlike organic materials, most plastic products take hundreds of years to decompose. As a result, large amounts of plastic waste accumulate in landfills, rivers and oceans. This can seriously harm wildlife because animals may eat plastic or become trapped in it. In addition, when plastic waste breaks down into tiny particles, known as microplastics, these can enter water and food supplies. For example, plastic bottles and bags are frequently found in oceans, where they can endanger marine animals such as turtles and fish.

Governments can take several measures to reduce plastic pollution. They could ban or limit single-use plastic products and encourage businesses to use environmentally friendly alternatives. Governments could also improve recycling facilities and introduce higher taxes on unnecessary plastic packaging. Individuals, on the other hand, can make a significant difference by using reusable shopping bags, bottles and food containers instead of disposable ones. They should also separate recyclable waste from general rubbish and avoid buying products with excessive packaging.

In my own experience, using a reusable water bottle and shopping bags has significantly reduced the amount of plastic waste I produce. Although these actions may seem small, if a large number of people adopt similar habits, the overall impact can be considerable.

In conclusion, plastic causes long-term pollution, damages wildlife and can enter the food and water supply. Governments should introduce stricter regulations and improve recycling systems, while individuals should reduce their use of single-use plastics and recycle responsibly. A combination of these efforts is necessary to reduce plastic pollution effectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. The writer clearly discusses the environmental damage caused by plastic, specifically mentioning pollution, decomposition rates, harm to wildlife such as turtles and fish, and the emergence of microplastics in food and water supplies. Furthermore, the second part of the prompt is thoroughly explored by offering practical solutions for both governments, such as banning single-use items and improving recycling, and individuals, through reusable alternatives and careful sorting. The position is clear throughout the essay, and ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, meeting the criteria for a Band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays a very clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from introduction to environmental damage, then to solutions for governments and individuals, a personal example, and a well-synthesized conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Unlike organic materials', 'As a result', 'In addition', 'Governments could also', and 'on the other hand' are managed well without being intrusive. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, keeping the ideas clearly separated and coherent. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision, such as 'decompose', 'accumulate', 'microplastics', 'single-use plastic products', and 'environmentally friendly alternatives'. There is good awareness of collocation and style, evident in phrases like 'excessive packaging' and 'overall impact'. While there are no major spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, the vocabulary reaches a solid Band 7.0 level rather than a wider Band 8.0 range due to the occasional reliance on standard, everyday collocations rather than more sophisticated, uncommon lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writing contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over grammatical structures. Examples of complex structures include conditional and participial clauses such as 'when plastic waste breaks down into tiny particles, known as microplastics, these can enter water and food supplies' and 'Although these actions may seem small, if a large number of people adopt similar habits, the overall impact can be considerable.' Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled with frequent error-free sentences, warranting a Band 7.0 score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.