Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-24

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 6.0)

There has been ongoing debate that the major environmental issues is the loss of animal and plants species. Whereas, Some says there are several other major environmental problems. According to me apart from extinsion of several species, the other issues are more concerning as they pose direct threat to humanity and ecosystem.

One one hand it is very obvious that both animals and plants are vital parts of the ecosystem. Elimination of these genus will directly or indirectly affect the foodchain. Instances, if bees decline significantly, pollination of crops can be reduced potentially reducing the agricultural productivity. In very similar way several plants contribute in production of medicines and other goods if these rare plants disappears it would have an adverse effect.

On the other hand, other issues which may be more concerning and needs higher attention are numerous. One of the biggest concern is climate change, this concern global warning, rising temperatures extreme weather and melting glaciers is something which is more alarming. The greenhouse gas emission causes global warming which causes strange extreme weather and damages and disruption to human settlement. Air pollution and water pollution caused by car and industries cause to deadly respiratory diseases and it is one of the reasons for premature deaths. In heavily populated cities emission can significantly reduce air quality and affect the human and animal life.

In conclusion, although the loss of animal and plant species is a serious environmental concern, I believe that broader issues such as climate change, pollution and deforestation are more pressing. These problems affect not only biodiversity but also human health, ecosystems and the quality of life of future generations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of pollination and climate change. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of how the loss of species affects the food chain is brief, and the discussion on pollution could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout, but the essay would benefit from more detailed examples to fully support the arguments presented.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand' and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'Instances, if bees decline'. Additionally, there are some minor issues with referencing and sentence flow, such as the run-on sentence in the third paragraph: 'One of the biggest concern is climate change, this concern global warning...'. Despite these minor flaws, the overall progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'biodiversity', 'greenhouse gas emission', and 'agricultural productivity'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'extinsion' and 'warning' (instead of 'warming'), and some awkward collocations like 'Elimination of these genus'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to discuss the topic, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('the major environmental issues is', 'Some says') and pluralization ('these genus'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and comma splices, such as 'Air pollution and water pollution caused by car and industries cause to deadly respiratory diseases and it is one of the reasons for premature deaths.' These errors are noticeable but do not significantly impede communication.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.