Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-05
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)
Few persons say that the major environmental issue of our time is the extinction of some species of plants and animals. The leftovers say that there are more crucial environmental effects. In this essay we will discuss about the reason of extinction of species and environmental problems. Some plants and animals are losing due to the environmental changes and also it destroyed our climate.I absolutely agree with both problems.
The major causes of extinction are the habitat loss, hunting and some diseases or predators. Deforestation is common thing in the world people cutting the trees to build their homes and new towns are build by cutting the forest. Deforestation also causes climate changing in addition the temperature of the climate rises the species of animals and plants are lost the main reason is that they are used to live in the cold environment. Others the animals who survive they are migrating towards the cold environment. Hunting is the common problem in species losing because of over hunting of animals and plants.
In environmental issues deforestation is major problem. It causes floods,high temperature and barren land. The water pollution is a important issue the main cause of this pollution are factories who leave there water in the fields without passing it into the filtering process. The air pollution is also a major issue it also due to factories and traffic.
In my opinion the important issue of extinction is climate change and deforestation and the air and water pollution are the crucial issue for environmental problems.
In conclusion we can avoid these issues by forestation and by no disturbance in nature.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides an opinion, but the development is limited. The essay identifies causes of extinction and environmental issues but lacks depth in discussing why one might be considered more important than the other. The position is stated but remains somewhat superficial throughout the text. The ideas are relevant but often under-developed, relying on simple lists of causes (e.g., 'deforestation', 'hunting', 'pollution') rather than a nuanced discussion of the prompt's core conflict. To improve, you should focus on explaining the implications of these problems rather than just listing them.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The introduction is somewhat confusing, particularly the phrase 'The leftovers say', which is an inappropriate use of vocabulary. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often mechanical or misused, such as 'Others the animals who survive'. Paragraphing is present, but the transitions between ideas are abrupt, making the flow of the argument feel disjointed. To reach a higher band, you need to use a wider range of linking words more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that connects back to the main argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and sometimes inaccurate. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'Few persons say' instead of 'Some people argue', and 'leftovers' instead of 'others'. The repetition of basic terms like 'major problem' and 'issue' limits the range. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precise vocabulary and the presence of word-choice errors (e.g., 'climate changing' instead of 'climate change') prevent the essay from achieving a higher score. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic collocations would significantly improve your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are frequently marred by grammatical errors, such as 'the species of animals and plants are lost the main reason is that they are used to live in the cold environment'. Punctuation is inconsistent, and there are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'a important issue'). These errors are frequent and occasionally cause the reader to pause, though they do not completely impede communication. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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