Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-04

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)

Many are concerned regarding the loss of indigenous species due to increase in the environmental challenges faced in recent times. Other stresses that are more serious concerns regarding the environment. This essay will discuss both these view before I present my opinion on why both are of equal importance for the conservation of planet.

Disturbing flora and fauna of any region results in the disruption of the entire eco-system which consequently impacts the environment badly. For example, according to the New York Science magazine Australia experienced severe consequences like increase in fireflies destroying fields as a result of declining native frog population.

Although many people believe that other environmental problems including catastrophic event, global warming etc. require more attention. One reason for such demands is that environmental problems which are more tangible and visible to people they tend to focus on that only. For example, the current heatwave in London grew a concern about global warming as they lived the problem themselves and they consider it potential environmental issue.

In my opinion, all of the environmental problems are integrated and cannot be separated. Having said that, priority should be given to the most pressing problems like global warming, however other problem should not be ignored because it possesses long-term threats.

In conclusion, conservation of native species is an important issue to address but at the same time all efforts should not be directed to any one problem it should be sensibly directed to work priority wise. Efforts should be made to ensure the survival of the planet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the disruption of the ecosystem and the visibility of global warming, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. The example regarding fireflies in Australia is a bit vague and lacks a clear link to the broader argument about species loss. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with logical reasoning rather than just stating the idea. Your position is consistent throughout, which is a strength.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Although', 'For example', and 'In conclusion', to link your thoughts. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or abrupt. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, there are minor issues with referencing; for example, 'they' in the third paragraph is slightly ambiguous in its antecedent. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'indigenous species', 'eco-system', and 'catastrophic'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'increase in the environmental challenges' (better: 'rising environmental challenges') and 'lived the problem' (better: 'experienced the problem'). Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, which limits the precision of your expression. To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more sophisticated vocabulary in a natural, context-appropriate way.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'Other stresses that are more serious concerns' should be 'Others stress that there are more serious concerns'. There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement, such as 'it possesses long-term threats' (referring to 'problems' plural). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex sentences will help improve this score.

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