Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)
In this modern era, environmental problem has become a subject of considerable debate around the world. Different people hold different opinions regarding the environmental problems. Some people believe that main problem of our time is the loss of some of plants and animals, while other have an opposite perspective that it is more important for environment. In my opinion, we need to save some kinds of species of plants and animals because they provide numerous benefits to us.
This paragraph will discuss some reasons and examples about the first view of people that we are wasting our time to protecting the particular species. Firstly, some kinds of plants which do not provide any type of energy and benefits to the natural world, so that we do not focus on them. They believe, we waste time on them because other types of species plants provides numbers of benefits such as oxygen, fresh environment, firewood and medicines. Additionally, some animals are useless for environment so that they believe we do not try to save them. For instance, instead of saving wild animals such as crocodiles, lion and so on, we try to save birds and bees because they help to individuals and famers in many ways. Therefore, some people believe only some plants and animals is useful.
On the other hand, some people believe that all kinds of species of plants and animals are important because they will help us in any kind of ways. If we think, some plants and animals are not an important for us so that they will face danger of extinction. After their extinction, our future generation only it can see in picture and videos. Also, they can not get knowledge about it. Furthermore, they believe any animals and plants will help in any kind of ways for examples, on pandemic time like COVID-19 we face a lot of problems for medicine that time, scientists tried to finds solutions of this disease from various animals and plants, therefore every plants and animals are helpful to individuals.
From my perspective, I disagree that our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals because they also help us in many ways and we try save every species of plants and animals even it is not helpful for us, that is why, I believe there are more important environmental problems.
In conclusion, although some species can not provide any kind of benefits to human lives, I believe they provide other more a significant advantages such as providing knowledge, medicines and cultural connection with them.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat inconsistent. The second paragraph is confusing, as it attempts to argue that some species are 'useless' and should not be protected, which lacks logical depth and clarity. The position in the conclusion is also slightly contradictory to the body paragraphs, making the overall argument difficult to follow. To improve, ensure that each viewpoint is explained with clear, logical reasoning rather than making broad, unsupported claims about the 'usefulness' of animals. The opinion needs to be more clearly integrated throughout the essay rather than appearing as a sudden shift in the final paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'This paragraph will discuss...' is unnecessary and unnatural. There are also issues with referencing; the use of 'they' and 'it' is sometimes ambiguous, making it hard to track what the writer is referring to. The logical progression between sentences is occasionally broken by awkward phrasing, such as in the second paragraph where the argument about 'useless' animals lacks a smooth transition from the previous point. Improving the variety and precision of linking words would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'good', 'bad', 'useful', and 'useless'. Some collocations are unnatural, such as 'wasting our time to protecting' and 'on pandemic time'. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'extinction' and 'natural world', the overall lexical control is limited. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and ensuring that words are used in their correct grammatical context, avoiding repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'every plants and animals are helpful'), article usage (e.g., 'in picture and videos'), and awkward sentence construction. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on proofreading for basic errors, particularly pluralization and the correct use of prepositions, to ensure that the complex ideas they are trying to express are communicated accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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