EnvironmentProblem–Solution
IELTS Essay: Causes of Rising Plastic Waste and Solutions (Band 9 vs 6.5)
In short
Below is a full Band 9 model answer to this IELTS Writing Task 2 question, the same question written at Band 6.5, and a criterion-by-criterion breakdown of exactly what separates them — so you can see what to change in your own writing. Then check your essay with the free tool.
The question
The amount of plastic waste produced around the world continues to rise. What are the main causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to address it?
How to approach a Problem–Solution question
A problem/solution question needs realistic causes or problems in one body paragraph and directly matching solutions in the other. Keep the two linked — each solution should address a problem you actually raised — and be specific: vague answers like 'the government should do more' score poorly compared with concrete, plausible measures.
The plan
- 01Introduction: paraphrase the prompt (global plastic waste keeps rising) and state that the essay will identify the main causes and then propose measures. A problem-solution task asks you to analyse, not to give a personal opinion, so no agree/disagree stance is needed.
- 02Body 1 (causes): the two principal drivers are plastic's cheapness and convenience for producers, and an entrenched throwaway culture of single-use items, both worsened by inadequate recycling infrastructure. Extend each cause into its consequence rather than listing.
- 03Body 2 (measures): pair each problem with a realistic remedy: make manufacturers financially responsible for packaging, tax single-use items, invest in recycling plants, and encourage reusable alternatives through public-awareness campaigns.
- 04Conclusion: restate the two main causes and the two-pronged response (firm regulation plus a genuine change in consumer behaviour), ending on a realistic, confident note without introducing new ideas.
Band 9 model answer
The volume of plastic discarded worldwide is growing at an alarming rate, and the reasons behind this trend are as much economic as they are behavioural. In this essay I will examine the principal drivers of the problem before suggesting how governments and individuals might curb it.
Two causes stand out. The first is the sheer convenience and cheapness of plastic: because it is light, durable and inexpensive to manufacture, producers reach for it to package almost everything, from groceries to electronics. The second is our entrenched throwaway culture, in which items such as bottles and carrier bags are used once and then discarded within minutes. Compounding both is the inadequacy of recycling infrastructure in many countries, which means that even conscientiously sorted waste frequently ends up in landfill or the ocean.
Fortunately, several measures could reverse the trend. The most effective would be for governments to make manufacturers financially responsible for the packaging they produce, thereby giving them a powerful incentive to design it out. Taxes on single-use items, which have already slashed plastic bag consumption in a number of countries, could be extended to cutlery and cups. Investment in modern recycling plants would ensure that discarded plastic is recovered rather than buried. At the individual level, a shift towards reusable alternatives, supported by public-awareness campaigns, would gradually erode the habits that fuel demand.
In conclusion, the mounting tide of plastic waste stems chiefly from the material's convenience and from disposable consumer habits, aggravated by weak recycling systems. Tackling it will require a combination of firm regulation and a genuine change in the way ordinary people consume, but neither is beyond our reach.
The same question at Band 6.5
Nowadays, the amount of plastic waste in the world is a big problem and it continues to rise every year. In this essay, I will talk about the main causes of this problem and also some measures that can solve it.
Firstly, one main cause is that people use a lot of plastic in their daily life. For example, plastic bags, bottles and food packaging are used everywhere because they are cheap and easy. Secondly, many people throw the plastic after using it only one time. This is very bad for the environment. In addition, in some countries there is not enough recycling, so the plastic go to the rivers and the sea.
There are some measures to address this problem. Firstly, the government should make a law to reduce plastic bags in the shops. This is a good idea because it can stop people from using too much plastic. Secondly, factories should produce more products that are reusable. Also, it is important to teach people about recycling, because many people don't know how to recycle in the correct way. For example, the government can also put more recycling bins in the streets and the parks, so it will be easy for people to recycle.
In conclusion, the main causes of plastic waste are the cheap price and the habit of using it one time. The government and the people should work together to solve this big problem because it is very important for our environment.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Answers both parts of the question fully and in balance: two clearly framed causes (the material's "sheer convenience and cheapness" and an "entrenched throwaway culture") and matching measures (producer responsibility, taxes, recycling investment, reusable alternatives). Each point is extended into its consequence rather than merely named. | Addresses both parts and stays on topic, but ideas are stated rather than developed. Points such as "This is very bad for the environment" and "This is a good idea" assert without explaining, and the causes and measures remain general. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Cohesion is varied and unobtrusive, carried by embedded devices ("Compounding both is...", "thereby giving them a powerful incentive", "At the individual level") and clear paragraph roles, so the argument flows without visible signposting. | Organisation is clear but mechanical, leaning on a repetitive linker scaffold: "Firstly", "Secondly", "In addition", "Also", "For example". The paragraphs are logical, yet the connections feel bolted on rather than natural. |
| Lexical Resource | Precise, natural collocation and topic vocabulary: "entrenched throwaway culture", "slashed plastic bag consumption", "fuel demand", "the mounting tide of plastic waste", "single-use items". Word choice is varied and rarely repeated. | Relies on repetitive high-frequency words: "big problem" (twice), "a lot of", "very bad", "good idea", "cheap and easy", "very important". Meaning is clear but the range is limited and general. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | A wide range of complex structures used accurately, including relative clauses ("in which items such as bottles..."), a non-finite clause ("aggravated by weak recycling systems") and a fronted "which have already slashed..." clause, with error-free control. | Mostly simple and compound sentences with limited complexity, plus a few minor slips that do not block meaning: "the plastic go to the rivers" (subject-verb agreement), the redundant articles in "the rivers and the sea", and "using it only one time" where "once" would be more natural. |
Examiner's note
The Band 9 answer wins on every criterion. On Task Response it develops both parts of the task, turning each cause and measure into its consequence instead of listing them, whereas the Band 6.5 answer covers the same ground but stops at bare assertion, as in "This is very bad for the environment." Its cohesion flows through varied, embedded devices ("Compounding both is...", "thereby giving them a powerful incentive"), while the 6.5 leans on a mechanical "Firstly / Secondly / In addition / Also" scaffold. Lexically the 9 deploys precise collocation ("entrenched throwaway culture", "slashed plastic bag consumption", "fuel demand"); the 6.5 recycles "big problem", "a lot of" and "very important". Grammatically the 9 controls a wide range of complex structures accurately, whereas the 6.5 stays mostly simple and compound and slips ("the plastic go", "using it only one time"). The 6.5's ceiling is genuinely competent, understandable communication that lacks the range, precision and development a higher band requires.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| throwaway culture | a way of living in which people use things once and then throw them away |
| to curb | to control or limit something that is growing |
| entrenched | firmly fixed and very hard to change |
| single-use items | products meant to be used only once and then discarded |
| incentive | a reason that encourages someone to do something |
| to design it out | to redesign a product so the problem no longer exists |
| to fuel demand | to make people want more of something |
| to slash | to reduce something by a large amount |
| the mounting tide of | the steadily rising amount of something |
Frequently asked questions
How should I structure a 'causes and solutions' essay?
Use two body paragraphs: one for the main causes and one for the measures, so each part of the question gets equal, focused attention. Open with an introduction that paraphrases the prompt and states you will cover causes then solutions, and close with a conclusion that summarises both. Keep causes and solutions in the same order across the essay so the reader can follow the link between each problem and its remedy.
How many causes and solutions should I include?
Two well-developed points on each side is safer than a long list. Examiners reward depth over breadth, so explain each cause and each measure with a consequence, example or brief mechanism rather than naming five ideas quickly. Where possible, pair each solution to a specific cause you raised, which makes the essay feel coherent and analytical.
Do I need to give my personal opinion in a problem-solution essay?
No. Unlike an agree/disagree question, this type asks you to identify causes and propose measures, so a stated opinion is not required and can cost you marks if it pulls you off task. Stay analytical. It is fine, though, to note which measure you think would be most effective, as the Band 9 model does, as long as the essay still answers both parts of the question.