Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31
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 5.5)
A segment of society argues that the primary environmental problem in today's era is the extinction of some certain species of plants and animals. Others counter that more vital environmental problems exist. This essay will discuss both viewpoints before giving my own opinion.
On the one hand, people believe that environmental issues are rising rapidly because some certain species of plants and animals have been extinct. This is causing problems because the food chain has been impacted, as the result, some animals are not able to consume their designed food. For example, a few months ago, a complete study was published by a very well-known department of UN called "Department of Environmental Safety", in which they described how loss of some particular species can cause disruption in food chain, which ultimately affects environment.
On the other hand, the rest of the community think that apart from extinction there are more important environmental complications such as pollution and exploitation of the earth for resources. To begin with the most discussed and debated factor which is pollution and it has been affecting the environment since the industrial revolution and has poisoned the water and heavily damaged the ozone layer. Moving further, another big problem is exploitation of the earth to mine essential materials, even though the materials are vital for human progress but it still impacts the environment and leaves earth hollow.
In conclusion, after briefly and thoroughly examining both extinction and other environmental issues. I firmly feel that pollution and exploitation are more important to be considered.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the food chain and pollution, the explanations remain quite general. For instance, the example regarding the UN department is vague and lacks specific detail that would strengthen the argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are fully extended with more depth and concrete reasoning. The position is consistent throughout, but the overall depth of analysis is more characteristic of a Band 6 response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more sophisticated. For example, the sentence 'To begin with the most discussed and debated factor which is pollution' is a sentence fragment and lacks a clear subject-verb connection, which disrupts the flow. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence is grammatically complete would enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'extinction', 'industrial revolution', and 'exploitation'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'some certain species' is redundant, and 'designed food' is not the standard collocation for animal diets. Additionally, phrases like 'leaves earth hollow' are slightly unnatural in this context. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more topic-specific, sophisticated terms would help you move into the higher band range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'have been extinct' should be 'have become extinct', and 'as the result' should be 'as a result'. There are also punctuation issues, such as the sentence fragment in the third paragraph. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your grammatical accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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