Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-12

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 5.0)

Plastic in any form is harmful for environment such as bottles, bags and packaging. It can contribute to many problems such as pollution and can cause accidents involving wildlife. However, government can introduce strict laws regarding this and high panelties for those who do not follow these rules.

To begin with, plastic bags, bottles and packagings are non disposable, they can contribute to pollution, specifically soil pollution. Plastic products can not be resued and does not decompose easily, so they can remain in soil for long time and reduce it's fertility. Moreover, plastic products can cause accidents including animals. Sometimes, when people are driving due to heavy wind, the plastic bags can block the view of driver which leads to accident of humans and animals. A recent study showed that the accidents by the plastic products re increased 3% in last decade.

However, law maker can put some efforts reduce the use of plastic by introducing strict laws. When there are laws related to use of any plastic products people are less likely to buy that particular product. For example, the use of plastic bags is banned in India since 2012. hence, PMoreover, government should include penalites to those who do no follow these rules. If someone do not obey these laws, they should be charged with heavy fines. A recent study from the Oxford University showed that more that 50% individuals follow the regulations when there are fines included in the laws.

To conclude, plastic bags, bottles and packegingare metarials are quite harmful to the environment . Therefore, higher authorities should make strict laws regarding this and people should comply these regulations. This will save the environment for next generations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both questions by identifying environmental harm and proposing government action, and your position—that stricter laws and penalties are needed—is clear in the introduction and conclusion. However, the response only partially develops the task. Soil pollution and reduced fertility are relevant, but the wildlife damage is described mainly as traffic accidents, rather than explaining common effects such as animals swallowing plastic or becoming trapped in it. The solutions focus almost entirely on laws and fines; the question also asks what individuals can do, and this is not meaningfully addressed. The examples and study claims are brief and not explained, so the main ideas remain limited. Develop both parts more evenly, including practical individual actions and clearer support for each point.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for environmental damage and government measures, and a conclusion. Basic signposting such as “To begin with,” “Moreover,” and “To conclude” helps readers follow the broad direction. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven, and some linking is mechanical or confusing. In the solutions paragraph, “However” does not clearly signal a contrast, while “hence, PMoreover” appears to contain a broken transition that interrupts the flow. The conclusion repeats the call for strict laws without bringing together the different points. Use clearer links between cause and effect, avoid stacking transition words, and organise each paragraph around a central idea supported in a logical sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main points, including “soil pollution,” “fertility,” “strict laws,” and “heavy fines.” However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make the writing less clear. For example, “accidents including animals” does not express the intended relationship naturally, and “non disposable” is not the appropriate term for plastic that persists in the environment. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “panelties,” “resued,” “packegingare,” and “metarials.” These errors sometimes make the reader pause, although the overall message remains understandable. Build a more precise environmental vocabulary and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a cause-and-effect structure in “so they can remain in soil for long time and reduce it's fertility.” However, complex attempts are often faulty, and frequent errors affect clarity. Examples include “government can introduce” and “law maker can put,” where articles or plural forms are needed; “plastic products … does not decompose,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect; and “If someone do not obey,” which has an agreement error. Sentence boundaries also need attention: “plastic bags, bottles and packagings are non disposable, they can contribute to pollution” joins two independent clauses with only a comma. Practise accurate agreement, articles, and clause punctuation, while keeping complex sentences manageable.

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