Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21

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 6.5)

Some people argue that the main environmental problem we face is the extinction of some species of plants and animals. Others believe that there are more pressing environmental concerns. The latter argument is based on other concerns like lack of infrastructures, while others believe that the loss of plants and animals is a major problem because of environmental dangers like flooding and animals suffering . I agree with the former argument.

On the one hand, people believe that the government should be focused on more pressings issues like building more infrastructures in the country rather than the concerns of animals and plants. There are many countries suffering due to lack of amenities like good roads, healthcare and education, and that is why the government should be more interested in providing these in other to aid the daily lives of the people. For example, Nigeria has bad roads, very little public transportation to help convey people to work and schools and also very poor health care system. If the law makers put more resources into these issues, it will make Nigeria a much better for citizens to live in.

On the other hand, I believe animals and plant loss is a major issue that should be looked into by the government. The rate of deforestation has increased over the years and this has led to environmental damage like flooding, erosion and lack of fresh air. Also many animals that have helped farmers in the past are going extinct, and the use of animals for experimentation has caused a great deal of animal suffering, as some of these species were major tourists attraction. For instance, in Nigeria, you cannot not find some species of animals in the zoo anymore, most tourist does not want to visit as there is little or nothing to see there, and deforestation has also led to flooding and destruction of roads and farmlands.

In conclusion, people believe that the extinction of some plants and animals shouldn’t be a major concern as governments should focus on building roads, healthcare and schools. I am of the opinion that animals and plants loss is a major huge factor that should be addressed, the government should encourage planting of trees and penalize anyone participating in animal cruelty.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat uneven. The argument regarding infrastructure is well-supported with specific examples from Nigeria, but the discussion on environmental issues is slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on deforestation and animal loss without fully exploring the 'more important' environmental problems mentioned in the prompt (such as climate change or pollution). The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points while reiterating the writer's stance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions between sentences are slightly mechanical, and there is occasional awkwardness in referencing, such as the phrase 'The latter argument is based on other concerns like lack of infrastructures,' which is slightly confusing given the preceding sentence structure. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing for clear communication. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'extinction,' 'deforestation,' and 'experimentation.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'major huge factor' (redundant) and 'tourists attraction' (should be 'tourist attractions'). Additionally, the phrase 'lack of infrastructures' is slightly unnatural as 'infrastructure' is typically an uncountable noun in this context. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'most tourist does not want' (subject-verb agreement), 'make Nigeria a much better for citizens' (missing noun), and 'in other to aid' (should be 'in order to'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. The errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable and occur with enough frequency to prevent a higher score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures would be needed for a higher band.

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