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)

Whilst many people believe that the prime environmental issue today is the extinction of specific species of plants and animals, I believe there are more pressing environmental issues such as carbon footprint and global warming.

On the one hand, extinction of particular species of plants and animals has put immense pressure on our environment by destroying the balance of a nature process. These lost animals and plants could have a positive impact on our ecosystem through proper food chain progress and sustainability. For example, the Royal Bengal Tigers in Shundarban, in Bangladesh, are becoming extinct, which has a significant environmental impact. Moreover, many plants are now vanishing from areas, affecting shelters and increasing humidity.

However, there are many other significant environmental degradations and one of the major problems is the carbon emission which further increases global warming. Traffic congestions, construction of factories and so on release carbon into our ecosystem everyday. As the green house gas is rising, it is causing serious climate changes that are evident today. Bangladesh, For example, experiences frequent flood every year in different regions. Moreover, earthquake has been causing much casualties worldwide. There are reports that these issues will increase more in the coming future. Hence, such devastating life threatening environmental problems are getting more attention day by day. Unless governments step into reducing carbon emission, it is impossible to get everyone on the same boat and so they should take proper regulatory actions to solve these problems.

In conclusion, even though loss of particular plants and animals is a great environmental concern, I think there are more visible environmental issues like carbon emission and global warming that are causing serious climate changes endangering people's lives.

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, such as the mention of biodiversity loss and carbon emissions. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the second body paragraph provides specific examples like traffic and factory construction, the discussion on biodiversity in the first paragraph is slightly generic. The argument is consistent throughout, and the position is clearly stated in the introduction and conclusion. To reach a higher band, the student should aim to deepen the analysis of the environmental impact of species loss, perhaps by linking it more explicitly to the broader ecosystem services mentioned.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Hence' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph (e.g., 'these issues') could be more precise to ensure absolute clarity. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'biodiversity', 'ecosystem', 'sustainability', and 'regulatory actions'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'nature process' (should be 'natural process') and 'much casualties' (should be 'many casualties'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precise collocation required for higher bands. The student uses some less common items, but there is room for more varied and precise academic phrasing to enhance the overall quality of the expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good attempt at complex sentences, such as 'Unless governments step into reducing carbon emission, it is impossible to get everyone on the same boat'. However, there are persistent errors in grammar and punctuation, such as 'frequent flood' (should be 'frequent floods'), 'green house gas' (should be 'greenhouse gases'), and the incorrect capitalization in 'Bangladesh, For example'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while improving accuracy in articles and pluralization would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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