Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-01

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)

Improper disposal of Platic wastes has a negative effect on the environment. It can block drainages and cause flooding. The state government and inhabitants can combine efforts to see that plastic Wastes are properly disposed.

The major issue caused by Plastic wastes in the environment is flooding, which is a result of blocked water paths. During heavy down pours, there are usally paths like gutters constructed for proper drainage of rain water, which directs the flow into large water bodies like rivers. But when there are many plastic materials inside the gutters, they tend to be packed together, thereby blocking the free flow. This results in the water over-flowing the gutters and flooding the roads.

The government of every state should develop working policies on waste disposals expecially for inorganic wastes. This policies should be addressed to industries, markets and even residential areas, and penalty for defaulters should be taken serious. For instance, if the penalty is set to be $500 when caught dropping an empty water can on the floor, most people will carefull not to drop empty cans. Thereby reducing the amount of plastic waste entering the water drainage.

The individuals too should support the government by placing waste bins around there homes. They should make it a routine to regularly empty these bins weekly either by incineration or underground burying. For instance there is a massive pit digged in my home town where every one disposes wastes. This will keep the roads free from of plastic wastes.

In conclusion, the bad effect of plastic wastes cannot be over-emphasized. The incidence of flooding is enough reason to show why we must ensre these wastes are properly disposed. Therefore both the goverment and individuals should see that plastics containers are properly disposed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both questions by explaining that plastic blocks drainage and by proposing government penalties and individual waste disposal. The flooding example gives the environmental damage a clear, relevant illustration. However, the response addresses the damage only narrowly: it focuses almost entirely on blocked gutters and does not discuss other effects, such as harm to wildlife or pollution of waterways and soil. The solutions are relevant but not fully developed. For example, the suggestion to bury or incinerate household waste needs explanation of whether these methods are safe and practical, and the government policy could include collection or recycling systems. Develop a broader range of effects and explain how each proposed measure would work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on environmental damage, separate paragraphs for government and individual action, and a conclusion. This makes the main progression easy to follow. You also use linking expressions such as “For instance,” “But,” and “Therefore” to connect examples and conclusions. Some connections are less smooth or precise, however. “Thereby reducing the amount…” is a fragment rather than a fully integrated explanation, and “This will keep the roads free from of plastic wastes” does not clearly connect the household disposal example to the claimed result. The conclusion largely repeats the introduction. To strengthen cohesion further, make cause-and-effect links explicit and use referencing that clearly identifies the measure or idea being discussed.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “inorganic wastes,” “penalty,” “drainage,” and “flooding,” and the reader can generally understand your meaning. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “free flow” and “water bodies.” However, the range is limited by repeated use of “plastic wastes,” “properly disposed,” and “flooding,” while several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward: “water paths,” “working policies,” and “penalty … should be taken serious.” Spelling errors such as “Platic,” “usally,” and “ensre” are noticeable. Use more precise environmental vocabulary and check spelling and natural word combinations; for example, refer to “plastic waste” and “drainage channels” consistently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and some longer structures, including the explanation beginning “During heavy down pours…” and the conditional example “if the penalty is set to be $500…”. This shows an attempt to vary sentence forms, and the main ideas remain understandable. However, errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction recur. For example, “This policies” should be “These policies,” and “penalty … should be taken serious” needs a different grammatical construction, such as “penalties should be enforced seriously.” The clause “Thereby reducing…” is a fragment, while “every one disposes wastes” has an incorrect object construction. Review agreement and sentence boundaries, and revise complex sentences to ensure each clause is complete and grammatically connected.

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