Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-28

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 is an ongoing debate about environmental problems because environment is creating catastrophic problems in many countries in the form of floods and cloudbursts. Some analysts believe that the current primary environmental problem is the loss of particular species of plants and animals, while others believe that there are more crucial environmental problems. From my perspective, there are more important problems than the loss of species, such as carbon emissions, deforestation and plastic pollution.

On the one hand, some critics believe that the loss of plants and animal species is the most important environmental problem because they believe that these species play a vital role in environmental protection. Certain types of plants are helpful in regulating water levels and particular types of animals hunt other animals to maintain the ecological balance. For instance, current research from wild life experts indicates that they are working on a project to restore these species to protect biodiversity.

On the other hand, there are considerable problems such as carbon emissions, plastic pollution and deforestation because these issues are part of everyday life. If we want a clean and green environment we have to consider alternatives, such as green energy, nuclear energy and paper bags. For example, the World Health Organization is encouraging countries to use alternative sources for energy and also encouraging to use recycled materials. Therefore, many countries are switching to solar and nuclear energy for the protection of habitats.

To conclude this, although the loss of species is a serious concern, there are major problems need attention for the protection of the environment. In my opinion, the government should promote energy alternatives in order to promote environmentally friendly practices and to preserve habitats.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of carbon emissions and biodiversity. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the discussion on biodiversity is brief and could benefit from more specific examples beyond a general mention of 'wild life experts'. The argument for other environmental problems is clear, but the link between switching to nuclear energy and the protection of habitats could be more explicitly explained to strengthen the logical flow of the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two 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 'Therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise in places. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the essay maintains a consistent focus throughout, meeting the requirements for a band 6.5 or 7.0 level of organization.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at topic-specific terminology like 'ecological balance', 'biodiversity', and 'environmentally friendly practices'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'catastrophic problems' (which is slightly redundant) and 'major problems need attention' (which is missing a relative pronoun like 'that'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score. The use of vocabulary is functional rather than expressive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'major problems need attention' (missing 'that') and 'encouraging to use' (should be 'encouraging the use of'). Punctuation is generally correct, but there are minor slips in sentence construction. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control of complex structures is present but not consistently accurate, placing the response firmly in the band 6.0 range.

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