Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07
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)
Nowadays, people have different opinions about environmental problems. Several individuals believe that the major atmosphere issue of our time is the reduction of specific types of plants and wildlife, however other proponents argue that there are more significant environmental problems. Both perspectives have a valid arguments. It is essential to consider them before forming an opinion. In my opinion, both viewpoints will be discussed in the following paragraphs with appropriate reasons and relevant examples.
To begin with, there are several factors why people support the former viewpoint. The primary and most significant reason is that loss of biodiversity in the living creatures. Because of that people can not acquire rich nutrition food and sometime individuals can suffer from illness. Furthermore, it disturbs the ecosystems. Food chain become unbalanced.
On the other hand, some people think that there are many other vital factors they creates atmosphere issues instead of loss of particular species of plants and animals. First and foremost, a large amount of fossil fuel have used by many chemical industry, due to it leads air pollution and land pollution. As a result, many human beings suffer from health problem such as pneumonia, asthma, cancer and other respiratory system related diseases. Additionally, another contributing factor is that deforestation. Increasing proportion of population can cut many forest for the living and industrial area because of that global worming is inclined in recent years and also rise temperature in the atmosphere.
To sum up, although the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals because of that it can reduced biodiversity and disturbs the ecosystems, I firmly believe that other crucial environmental issues are presented in recent days such as air pollution and land pollution and deforestation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, fulfilling the task requirements. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding biodiversity loss is brief and lacks specific examples, relying on general statements about nutrition and ecosystems. Similarly, the discussion on pollution and deforestation is presented in a list-like fashion without deep analysis. While the position is clear, the supporting points would benefit from more detailed elaboration to reach a higher band. The conclusion is a bit repetitive, merely restating the points rather than synthesising them effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'To sum up', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Because of that people can not acquire...' and 'due to it leads air pollution'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. While the overall progression is coherent, the use of cohesive devices is not always flexible or natural, which limits the score in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'biodiversity', 'ecosystems', 'fossil fuel', and 'deforestation'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'major atmosphere issue' instead of 'environmental issue', 'rich nutrition food', and 'global worming' (a spelling error for 'warming'). The range is sufficient to communicate, but the lack of precision and occasional errors in word formation prevent a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'a large amount of fossil fuel have used' (subject-verb agreement), 'due to it leads air pollution' (incorrect clause structure), and 'can cut many forest for the living' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction indicates that the writer does not yet have consistent control over complex structures.
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