Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-29

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)

At present, our world is facing some serious environmental issues. Many people illustrate the extinction of some specific plants and animals as the major environmental concern, while others believe that there are more concerning issues than this. I strongly agree with the second group. Because environmental pollution is a growing issue nowadays.

One compelling reason why people think that the loss of a number of species of plants and animals is the biggest environmental problem is the environmental imbalance that has been created because of their extinction. This is because in nature most of the living creatures are somehow dependent on each other, either for food or shelter. As a result, when this dependency is disrupted by the loss of one or more, it actually disturbs the whole ecosystem. Thus, it seriously causes adverse impacts on other trees or animals, directly or indirectly, and to our environment at large.

However, a number of people show much more concern to other problems that have much more adverse impact than the abovementioned one, climate change and pollution, for instance. This is primarily because, due to climatic changes the temperature of our world is increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, the ice of the glaciers is melting and raising the level of sea water. Consequently, the coastal areas are flooding, which causes soil erosion, deforestation, and other man-made disasters.

I strongly believe that the loss of many plants and animals is also directly connected with the effect of global warming. Because, with soil erosion and deforestation, the number of many trees is decreasing, and the ripple effect is actually causing scarcity in food and shelter for animals; in consequence, they are decreasing in large numbers. Considering this global warming issue, I strongly agree with the second group of people.

In conclusion, though, at present, the loss of a certain species of plants and animals is one of the concerning environmental issue, there is enough strong evidence that climate change, which is making our environment warmer day by day, can be treated as a more crucial challenge for our nature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. Ideas are generally well-developed, particularly the explanation of ecosystem dependency and the link between climate change and biodiversity loss. However, the argument could be strengthened by providing more specific, concrete examples of environmental problems beyond general mentions of 'pollution' or 'climate change'. While the ideas are relevant, the development occasionally feels slightly repetitive in the final body paragraph. Overall, the response meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two viewpoints and the author's opinion. Cohesive devices such as 'one compelling reason', 'consequently', and 'in conclusion' are used appropriately to guide the reader. However, there is some minor mechanical use of transitions, and the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, though some sentences are slightly fragmented, which occasionally affects the overall flow of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for the expression of complex ideas. There is an attempt to use less common lexical items such as 'adverse impacts', 'alarming rate', and 'ripple effect'. While the range is sufficient, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'illustrate the extinction' (instead of 'cite' or 'identify') and 'the number of many trees is decreasing' (which is slightly redundant). The vocabulary is generally precise enough to convey the intended meaning without difficulty.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and complex structures are attempted, such as conditional-like relationships ('when this dependency is disrupted... it actually disturbs...'). However, there are some persistent errors, such as the sentence fragment 'Because environmental pollution is a growing issue nowadays' and minor punctuation issues. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. A wider variety of error-free complex structures would be needed for a higher score.

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