Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-13
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)
Environment plays a very important role in everyone life. While some people believe that loss of flora and fauna is major problem of today's world other believes that there are more important things than that. This essay will discuss both views and i believe that extinction of biodiversity is a serious problem which needs proper rules and regulations in order to protect endangered species.
Plants and animals are a gift of mother nature and to protect then is our responsibility. They are important to maintain natural ecosystem. For Example if one specie disappears it will disturb the entire food chain. Furthermore certain plants and animals are essential for human body. Like, all dairy products come from animals all fruits and vegetables we eat come from plants. If we will continue to lose them we will have nothing to eat.
there is a number of group which support the later idea because there are number of problems too for example pollution is one of the major concern. With urbanization, two problems arise that is traffic congestion and increased construction to accommodate a large number of people. With these problems there is increased pollution to overcome as carbon emission will also occur burning of fossil fuels and all but all of these things can be controlled with proper legislation and both government and people support.
In conclusion, protection of animal and plant species is far major concern and both government and individuals should take necessary steps in order to address this issue.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the importance of biodiversity is explained, the counter-argument regarding other environmental problems like pollution and urbanization is less developed and lacks specific, well-supported examples. The essay touches upon the required elements but remains quite general in its analysis. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'other' environmental problems with more depth and provide more nuanced reasoning for why you believe biodiversity loss is the most critical issue.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore', 'For Example', and 'In conclusion', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but there are instances where the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition into the third paragraph ('there is a number of group') is abrupt and grammatically awkward, which slightly disrupts the logical flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the structure is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'biodiversity', 'ecosystem', and 'legislation', but there is a reliance on basic phrasing (e.g., 'important role', 'major problem'). There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'there is a number of group' instead of 'there are a number of groups' and 'far major concern' instead of 'a far more significant concern'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic collocations would improve your 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 distract the reader. Examples include missing articles ('in everyone life'), subject-verb agreement issues ('other believes'), and punctuation errors. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without missing prepositions or auxiliary verbs.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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