Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09

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 believe the core problem of environment is the loss of species of animal and plants. Other argue that environmental mental have other important challenges. This essay will discuss both perspective before giving my opinion.

On one hand, people often say that main important environmental problem is that we loss the species of plants and animal that contribute to the well-being of our environment. For example, deforestation happening at large scale cutting of tree where animal have lives. Insects that pollinate crops to forests that purify our air and water. When a species goes extinct due to human activities like pollution, and climate change, it creates a domino effect that destabilizes entire habitats.

On other hand, people believe there are more important threat to our environment and climate like rapidly increasing global warming. Pollution, contamination of sea, urban industries, burning of fields and harsh chemical used by farmer that no one talked about and are real enemy to our system.

I believe that rather then viewing the problem from one prospective we should expand our thoughts and focus on the solution collectively. The environmental problem is surely one of the biggest problem and the solution is only to fix the issue by watching it from different angles.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the essay addresses both sides of the argument, the discussion is superficial and lacks depth. The points regarding biodiversity loss and global warming are mentioned but not sufficiently supported with detailed examples or logical expansion. Furthermore, the student's own opinion is vague and lacks a clear, well-reasoned stance, failing to provide a convincing argument. To improve, the student must expand on their points with specific evidence and ensure the essay meets the length requirement to allow for full development of the task.

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 limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition 'On other hand' is grammatically incorrect and lacks the necessary article. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is somewhat disjointed, and the connection between the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion is weak. The lack of sufficient length also prevents the development of a more sophisticated flow of information. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring clear topic sentences for each paragraph would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'environmental mental' instead of 'environmental issues' and 'we loss the species' instead of 'we lose the species'. The repetition of basic terms like 'problem' and 'important' limits the lexical variety. To achieve a higher score, the student should focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and collocations, and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Other argue' (should be 'Others argue'), 'deforestation happening at large scale cutting of tree' (awkward phrasing and missing articles), and 'rather then' (should be 'rather than'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the response from reaching a higher band. More attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage is needed.

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