Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06

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)

Some people argue that the main environmental problem of our time is the extinction of particular species of plants and animals while other say that there are more important environmental problems which include climate change, global warming and melting of large and small glaciers.

It is true that due to environmental effects some of the plants and animals species got extincted in the last century. Enviornmental problems like pollution including plastic bags and oil from various good transporting ships in the oceans is effecting the habitat of many species like turtles and seafish and some of them got extinct in the past due to these environmental problems caused by humans.

Some people argure that there are many environmental problems that are more significant other than the loss of species those include climate change, floods, earthquakes and many more. Climate change and global warming is the major concern for the world right now factories, manufacturing plants and transporting vehicles are releasing different type of gases including carbon dioxide and carbon mono-oxide which is effecting the environment and increasing with overall temperature of the earth. The increase in the temperature is then causing glaciers to melt faster than usual resulting in floods. For instance the floods in Pakistan in 2022 caused hundreds of casualities and thousands of people lost their home and agricultural land.

In my opinion, there are more essential environmental problems other than the loss of particular species of plants and animals because climate change and global warming is effecting humans in a way that if we don't take necessary measure then the homosapiens will be endangered. If we take necessary steps to control environmental problems we will be able to make a clean and health environment for other species of plants and as well as for animals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of climate change and the 2022 Pakistan floods as a supporting example. However, the development is somewhat limited. The discussion on the loss of species is brief and lacks depth, while the argument for climate change as a more pressing issue is more developed. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that both viewpoints are explored with equal depth and that your personal opinion is more thoroughly integrated into the main body paragraphs rather than just the conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. There is a logical flow from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition between sentences often relies on simple structures. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas more fluidly and improve the overall cohesion of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your meaning, including terms like 'extinction', 'habitat', and 'agricultural land'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'got extincted' (should be 'became extinct') and 'effecting' (should be 'affecting'). Additionally, some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'good transporting ships'. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your word forms are correct. Avoid repeating the same words frequently and try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms ('got extincted'), subject-verb agreement ('Climate change and global warming is'), and article usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent in places. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, and proofread carefully to catch minor slips in tense and word form.

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