Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-09

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 5.5)

It is widely recognize that plastic pollution has become a concern in many parts of the world. Particularly, in cities and coastal area. People use wide variety of plastic things such as, plastic bags, bottles and packaging are harmful for the ecosystem. Government and people implement effects measure to reduce plastic pollution which I expain in following paragraphs.

The main reason is that, pollution of land when people use plastic bags or packaging they often drop on land then plastic remain in the environment. It makes street and parks non attractive. secondly, marine pollution, individual throw waste material in water such as, river after that plastic waste can enter ground water. It is not only affect marine life but also harmful for wildlife. Air pollution and climate change, release toxic chemicals and harmful gases can by burning plastic which influence on green gas house effect.

There are wide variety of solutions which government and people should be take. Government should develop recycling system, provides more bins and invest more money in recycling facilities.They can provide garbage collector in every cities and rural areas and impose a tax and introduced a ban on plastic. seminar should be conducted by the government and educate the people to raise public awareness. Individual should use clothes bages instead of plastic bages as well as they can carry reusable water bottles. Governments in force strict regulations launch awareness campaign. If government and people are aware now they will live in pollution-free environment.

In conclusion, although plastic pollution increased day by day but Government and people should neend to conscious about pollution. They should be promote environment friendly alternatives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the task: the response identifies environmental damage, including litter on land, harm to marine and other wildlife, and emissions from burning plastic, then proposes actions for governments and individuals. The examples of recycling facilities, taxes or bans, public education, cloth bags, and reusable bottles are relevant. However, some points are asserted rather than explained. For instance, the link between plastic entering groundwater and damage to marine life is unclear, and the effects of burning plastic on climate change could be explained more precisely. The solutions are also listed quickly, with little discussion of how they would reduce the harms. Develop a few key ideas with clearer cause-and-effect reasoning and supporting examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on environmental damage, a paragraph on solutions, and a conclusion. Topic phrases such as “The main reason” and “There are wide variety of solutions” help signal the focus of each section. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several ideas are joined in long or incomplete sentences, and some transitions feel mechanical, such as “secondly” and “after that.” The conclusion also repeats the general call for action rather than drawing together the main points. Use clearer sentence boundaries, connect each effect or solution to the next with precise referencing, and organise the damage and proposed responses in a more deliberate sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “plastic pollution,” “marine pollution,” “recycling facilities,” “public awareness,” and “reusable water bottles.” These terms make the subject clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, inaccurate word forms, spelling, and collocations are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning less precise: “implement effects measure,” “green gas house effect,” and “environment friendly alternatives” are examples. Repetition of “plastic,” “pollution,” and “government” also limits flexibility. Build accuracy by learning common word partnerships and checking spelling and word forms; for example, describe the greenhouse effect accurately and use natural phrases for measures that reduce pollution.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including conditional language in “If government and people are aware now they will live…” and clauses explaining consequences. However, some errors in sentence structure, verb forms, agreement, articles, and punctuation make parts of the response hard to follow. For example, “It is widely recognize” needs a correctly formed passive, while “Government and people implement effects measure” has problems with the verb and noun phrase. The opening fragment, “Particularly, in cities and coastal area,” and the run-on sentence beginning “when people use plastic bags” also weaken control. Practise complete sentences, subject–verb agreement, and accurate clause joining, then proofread punctuation and articles.

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