Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-10
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)
In recent years, we are facing multiple serious problems toward our environment. Certain people argue that the primary environmental concern of our time is the decline in some species of living things, while others contend there are more diverse challenges in environment. This essay will discuss both view, however, I strongly believe we have wide range of other worries.
To begin with, majority of the individuals today, lack of information on how serious this issue is. Even if only one specific species die out, it would result massive imbalance to the food chain. For instance, if the lion population decline, amount of the deer will immediately increase by big numbers. Which leads the crowded population of herbivores to reduce the area of grassland, resulting an unbalanced biodiversity.
On the other hand, others argue there are more critical difficulties mostly done by human doing. Such as, climate change, air and land pollution, global warming and several others. Climate change for example, have harmed handful of places all around the world. Melting Arctic sea ice which have been a home to lots of species is remarkable example of it. Which then resulted risen sea level globally.
From my perspective, every individuals should focus on improving other issues is necessary for further developed Earth in the future.
In conclusion, while many people believe that the decline of endangered species is the main concern due to its potential disruption of the food chain, others argue that climate change poses a more significant threat to our environment. In my opinion, both issues should be addressed as interconnected problems.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the food chain example is relevant, the explanation of climate change is a bit superficial. Furthermore, there is a contradiction between the introduction, where you state you believe there are 'other worries,' and the conclusion, where you suggest the issues are 'interconnected.' To reach a higher band, ensure your position is consistent throughout the essay and expand your supporting arguments with more depth and specific evidence to fully address the prompt's requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion.' However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions are slightly awkward, such as 'Which leads the crowded population...' and 'Which then resulted risen sea level.' These sentence fragments disrupt the flow. To improve, focus on using cohesive devices to link clauses more naturally rather than starting new sentences with relative pronouns, and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'biodiversity,' 'herbivores,' and 'interconnected.' However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'human doing' (human activity), 'big numbers' (significant numbers), and 'handful of places' (a variety of regions). Additionally, there are minor errors in word form, such as 'resulted risen sea level' instead of 'resulted in rising sea levels.' To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more precise academic vocabulary to convey your ideas with greater accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include missing articles ('the' lion population, 'the' amount of the deer), subject-verb agreement errors ('Climate change... have harmed'), and sentence fragments ('Which leads the crowded population...'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with articles, pluralization, and verb agreement, to ensure your complex sentences are constructed correctly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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