Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-27

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 6.5)

Use of plastic has awfull effect on environment. Plastic is being used everywhere now from making carry bags, bottles to packages or wraps. The intensity of damage and pollution caused by this is alarming.

One major cause is pollution of nature including soil, water and air. Water bodies are contaminated because of plastic waste reaching them due to improper treatment. Irresponsible handling and disposing is the main reason. Studies shows that plastics are being consumed by fishes, turtles and other living beings which significantly reduced their population. Another thing is burning of plastics which release high level of carbondioxide to the air which also arise air quality and health risks. In addition, plastic is catagorised as a danger because of its non-compostable nature.

There is a lot government can do to resolve this issue. Strict laws aganist dumping plastic to water bodies like imposing fines would help to a great extent. Another way is that, government can set up a project to monitor plastic usage. This will help to keep track of the level of plastic being produced in each industry. Just like carbon tax each country can take steps towards imposing plastic tax to help reduce the production and its usage. Last but not least, each and every individual should be aware of how much plastic is being used in a household. This can be achieved through replacing plastic bags with reusable ones, carrying a fabric bag or paper bag for shopping and disposing or recycling of the unused ones.

To conclude, plastic remain as a danger not only for the environment but also for the healthy balance of the planet. All the resources are now polluted because of this however proper steps towards controlled use could help to resolve the prevailing issue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the question: it identifies environmental damage, including contamination of water, harm to wildlife and air pollution from burning, and proposes actions for governments and individuals. The examples of fines, monitoring, a plastic tax and reusable shopping bags make the solutions relevant. The explanation of damage is somewhat more developed than some proposed measures: for instance, the monitoring project is mentioned, but its practical effect is not explained, and the discussion of plastic’s non-compostable nature is brief. The conclusion restates the concern and the need for action, though it does not add much synthesis. To strengthen the response further, explain the consequences of each key impact and show more clearly how the proposed measures would reduce plastic waste.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall progression: an introduction, a paragraph on environmental damage, a paragraph on solutions, and a conclusion. Ideas within the main paragraphs are generally ordered sensibly, and signposts such as “One major cause,” “In addition,” and “To conclude” help readers follow the argument. The solutions paragraph also moves from government action to individual responsibility. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, and “Another thing” is less precise than a transition that identifies the next impact. The reference in “because of this” in the conclusion is broad, while “all the resources” is not clearly tied to the specific examples. Use more precise referencing and vary transitions so that connections between claims are clear without relying mainly on signposting phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is adequate vocabulary for discussing the topic, including “contaminated,” “improper treatment,” “reusable,” “imposing fines,” and “non-compostable.” These choices allow the writer to describe both environmental effects and possible responses. Some attempts at more specific or formal language are inaccurate or awkward, such as “arise air quality,” “a project to monitor plastic usage,” and “healthy balance of the planet.” Spelling errors, including “awfull,” “aganist,” and “catagorised,” also reduce precision. Aim for more natural collocations and check spelling carefully; for example, describe how burning plastic “worsens air quality” and how policies can “monitor or regulate plastic production.” This would make the vocabulary more precise and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses with “because,” “which,” and “however,” and most ideas remain understandable. Some grammatical errors occur in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction. For example, “Studies shows” should have a plural verb, while “which significantly reduced their population” does not maintain the appropriate tense and has an unclear reference. In “burning of plastics which release,” the clause needs a clearer grammatical connection and agreement. The final sentence also joins contrasting ideas awkwardly with “however.” Review subject–verb agreement and ensure relative clauses clearly refer to the intended noun. More accurate control of these structures would improve clarity while preserving the range already attempted.

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