Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-15

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)

In our environment, individuals use plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging which are not good for the society. This essay will investigate the subject of plastic things, outlining key arguments, refllecting on possible consequences, and offering a justified conclusion.

To begin with, people should use plastic things in their life, if they are at home or going outside they use plastic bags in their daily life. For instance, some people going to holidays trip and they get thirsty on the way they definitely recommend the plastic bottle water which or not good for the people. They definitely impact on humans health especially children because they recycle these things. However, some people going to the market and they bought fruits and vegetables the shopkeeper put it in the plastic packaging. So I think people should carry their own bag which should be clean. This will help us get rid of plastic bags and the environment will remain clean.

In addition, some poor families do not afford expensive bag expensive things so government should provide these kind of things which is very necessary for the people. Moreover, governments should apply strict law don't use plastic things. If people do not stop using these plastic bags the government should apply a fine on people. Secondly, people do not throw these things on the front of the raod because raods looks very dirty and also they create many disease.

In my opinion, individuals should less use of plastic bags and bottles because they are very benefit for the people and environment, and also we should follow the government rule.

Overall, the matter at hand is multifaceted and demands thoughtful evaluation. A well-balanced approach is crucial to achieving the most reasonable and sustainable outcome. Moreover,only through careful consideration can meaningful progress be made.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response attempts both parts of the question: it mentions possible harm to human health and dirty streets, and suggests reusable bags, government provision of alternatives, fines, and rules. However, the environmental damage is only briefly addressed; the essay does not explain effects such as harm to wildlife, pollution of waterways, or the persistence of plastic waste. Several points are unclear or inaccurate, including the claim that plastic bottles affect people’s health “because they recycle these things.” The proposed solutions are also limited and not fully explained. To strengthen the response, develop a clear account of specific environmental consequences and explain how each government or individual action would reduce them, using relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some basic organisation: the response has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding section, and it uses signposts such as “To begin with” and “In addition.” However, the progression is not consistently clear. The first body paragraph moves from holiday drinking water to children’s health, then shopping bags, without explaining the links between these points. The second paragraph combines affordability, government laws, fines, and littering, so the main focus is difficult to follow. The final two paragraphs also repeat general conclusions rather than bringing the specific arguments together. Group related ideas into focused paragraphs and use clear references to show how each example supports the point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general topic, with relevant terms such as “plastic packaging,” “strict law,” “fine,” and “environment.” However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the intended meaning difficult to understand. For example, “they definitely recommend the plastic bottle water” does not clearly express that people buy or use bottled water, and “very benefit for the people and environment” uses the wrong form and meaning. There are also spelling errors such as “refllecting” and “raod.” Aim for precise topic vocabulary and natural collocations, and check spelling and word forms. The suggestions below offer more suitable alternatives for some repeated or unclear expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response uses mostly simple sentence patterns, with some attempts to join ideas using “if,” “because,” and “which.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and frequent errors affect clarity. For example, “some people going to holidays trip” lacks a finite verb and has an incomplete structure, while “the shopkeeper put it” does not maintain consistent tense with “they bought.” Agreement and sentence construction are also problematic in “these kind of things which is very necessary.” Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly in the sentence beginning “Moreover, governments should apply strict law.” Practise building complete clauses, maintaining consistent verb forms, and checking subject–verb agreement before adding more complex structures.

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