Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Environmental issues are a growing concern in today's world. Nature has turned it's course and has resulted in far too many natural disasters this year. For instance, recently suddenly flash floods caused from glacier melting in the Nepal-Tibet border led to severe casualties with several missing persons or dead individuals.Thus, some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of paarticular species of plants and animals. I strongly believe that every species of nature plays a role and has its own reason for existing. For example, in school we were taught about food chain, which explained us that it is important for plants, animals and human beings to co-exist together on earth. This was because a balance is created when all elements of nature co-exist , however that balance breaks when plants and animals start becoming extinct. This is the current reality of our world.

Now this brings us to the argument that there are much more important environmental problems than loss of particular species of plants and animals. For instance, global warming and climate chage are the biggest problem today. In India, severe heatwave has caused health concerns, damaged agricultural produces and so on. In my view, environmental challenges like pollution and climate change should be taken more seriously . Infact , both biodiversity and these environmental problems must be analysed together as they are both inter-connected to nature. To conclude, government and environmental organisation must address these issues and provide solution to these problems. Sustainable development is the starting point of change for the betterment of the enviornment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both views and state a position, especially when you argue that species have a role in nature and later identify climate change and pollution as serious concerns. However, the discussion is uneven: the first view receives an explanation about ecological balance, while the alternative is supported mainly by a brief reference to heatwaves in India. The opening example of glacier-related flooding does not clearly establish why species loss is the main problem, and the conclusion offers a general call for action rather than resolving which problem you consider most important. The response is also 242 words, below the required 250; the 23 words copied from the prompt are excluded. Develop each side with a clearer explanation and a specific example, then make your comparative opinion explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, discussion of species loss, a paragraph on other environmental problems, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “Now this brings us to” and “To conclude” help signal movement between sections. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. The opening moves from natural disasters to species loss without explaining the connection, and the final paragraph shifts from heatwaves to pollution, interconnection, government action, and sustainable development in quick succession. Some linking is mechanical, and the reference in “This was because a balance is created” is not fully clear. Organise each body paragraph around one main claim, explain it, and then give a directly relevant example; use transitions that show the relationship between ideas rather than simply announcing a new point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including terms such as “flash floods,” “glacier melting,” “food chain,” “global warming,” “heatwave,” and “sustainable development.” These choices make the subject clear, and some topic-specific vocabulary helps convey relevant ideas. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “Nature has turned it's course,” “agricultural produces,” and “provide solution to these problems.” There are also spelling errors in “paarticular,” “chage,” and “enviornment,” which reduce precision. Aim for more natural combinations and check spelling carefully; for example, use “agricultural production” and “provide solutions.” The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but more accurate phrasing would make the argument clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex structures, including the relative clause in “which explained us that it is important…” and the conditional relationship in “that balance breaks when plants and animals start becoming extinct.” These attempts show some variety, and the main message is generally understandable. However, errors in sentence construction and punctuation remain noticeable. For example, “which explained us that” needs a different verb pattern, and “Nature has turned it's course” contains an incorrect possessive form. There are also missing spaces after full stops, inconsistent spacing around commas, and a run-on transition in “dead individuals.Thus.” Review verb patterns, possessives, articles, and sentence boundaries. Breaking longer ideas into well-punctuated sentences and checking each clause for a complete, accurate structure would improve control.

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