Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-30

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 7.5)

Some people argue that the major environmental issue currently is the loss of particular species of both plants and animals, while others contend that there are more pressing environmental issues. In my opinion, the reduction in the number of species is as important as other environmental concerns. The following paragraphs will discuss my viewpoint on this specific argument.

On the one hand, various species of plants and animals are at an increasing risk of extinction. Due to littering and pollution, many animals get stuck or choke on non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, resulting in their deaths. Overall, many endangered species, such as the red panda and the Amur leopard, face impending extinction because of a lack of environmental care. If more precautions are not taken, more species could disappear, resulting in the disruption of food chains and, essentially, the entire operation of ecosystems.On the other hand, these environmental issues affect not only flora and fauna, but the entire planet as well. Driven by greenhouse gases released by vehicles, climate change is worsening, which in turn accelerates global warming. It has been reported that glaciers and ice caps are melting because of the erratic increase in planetary temperatures. This negatively impacts both the habitats of animals living in these cold regions and the humans inhabiting these areas.In conclusion, it is vital that we do not undermine either of these critical problems caused by environmental neglect. Both are equally grave issues that we must address soon; otherwise, it might be too late.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of food chains and climate change. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention the red panda and Amur leopard, the explanation of why species loss is 'as important' as climate change could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout, but the essay would benefit from more detailed supporting arguments to fully flesh out the comparison between the two environmental issues.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, the transition between the discussion of species loss and the broader issue of climate change could be smoother. The flow is generally good, but some sentences feel slightly disconnected, which prevents it from reaching the highest band for cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'impending extinction,' 'disruption of food chains,' and 'erratic increase' show a good command of topic-specific language. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical resources, moving beyond standard academic vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If more precautions are not taken...') and passive voice effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, with only minor issues that do not affect the clarity of your message. The punctuation is also handled well. To reach a higher band, ensure you use a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced relative clauses, and maintain high accuracy across these more challenging grammatical forms.

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