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)

Few individuals believe that main cause of environmental issue is the loss of some specific species of different plants and animals, while others argue that there are other crucial environmental problems too. I believe that the main environmental problem is the loss of various species of plants and animals, but other environmental problems should not be ignored too.

Firstly, the main root of environmental crisis is due to the loss of different creatures and species of plants and animals. There were vast variety of plants that lived hundred years ago which were responsible of producing oxygen and inheriting carbon dioxide. For instance, in recent years , deforestation has been significantly grew, which leads to the depletion of ozone layer and let the ultra violet radiations of sun reaches to earth. Also, like as the mass hunting has also been significantly increased, mostly in jungles or in dense forests which leads to mass killing of animals and disrupting the natural ecosystem .

On the other hand, others also believe that these are also not the main causes of environmental problems . In this contemporary era, almost everyone uses their own personal vehicles. As the toxic gases released by the these machines it leads to air pollution. Moreover, this can cause breath and asthma too

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

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 you address both views and state an opinion, the arguments are underdeveloped. For example, the link between deforestation and the ozone layer is scientifically inaccurate and lacks logical support. The second body paragraph is very brief and fails to fully explore the alternative viewpoint or provide a balanced discussion. To improve, you must expand your points with more detailed explanations and relevant examples, ensuring the essay reaches the required length to allow for a full development of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is limited by the brevity of the text. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly' and 'On the other hand', but the transitions between sentences are sometimes mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'the toxic gases released by the these machines', where the grammar is clunky and disrupts the flow. To achieve a higher score, focus on using a wider range of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, well-developed central theme that flows logically into the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'environmental problems' and 'environmental crisis'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'inheriting carbon dioxide' (instead of 'absorbing') and 'deforestation has been significantly grew' (incorrect verb form). To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental science and ensure you are using verbs and nouns in their correct forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the main root of environmental crisis is due to', 'responsible of producing', and 'let the ultra violet radiations of sun reaches to earth'. These errors in subject-verb agreement, preposition usage, and sentence structure are noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like article usage and verb tense consistency before attempting more complex grammatical structures.

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