Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02

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 5.0)

In recent years, environmental problem has become a widely debated issue. While some people believe that he main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals, others argue that there are more important environmental problems.

This essay will discuss both views, and I believe that there are many other important environmental problems.I strongly agree with this view because many other problems also cause environmental problems like cutting trees, and it occur climate change also.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 81 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While the introduction acknowledges both views and provides a personal position, the body of the essay is severely underdeveloped. There is no substantive discussion or supporting evidence for the arguments presented. The ideas remain at a superficial level, such as the mention of 'cutting trees' and 'climate change', without any elaboration or logical connection to the prompt. To improve, you must expand each point with detailed explanations and relevant examples to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is too brief to demonstrate effective paragraphing or a logical progression of ideas. While there is a basic attempt at an introduction, the lack of body paragraphs means there is no coherent structure. Cohesive devices are largely absent, and the transition between the introduction and the final sentence is abrupt. To achieve a higher score, you need to organize your response into distinct paragraphs—an introduction, at least two body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, and a conclusion—using a variety of linking words to connect your ideas logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'environmental problem' are used multiple times, indicating a limited range of expression. There is no attempt to use less common or academic vocabulary that would be expected in an IELTS Task 2 response. To improve, you should focus on using a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'biodiversity loss', 'ecological degradation', or 'mitigation strategies', and ensure you use synonyms to avoid repetition. The current range is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors. For instance, 'environmental problem has become' should be 'environmental problems have become' (plural agreement), and 'it occur climate change' is syntactically incorrect. The sentence structures are simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, you need to focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Furthermore, you should practice incorporating a variety of complex structures, such as relative clauses and conditional sentences, while ensuring they remain error-free.

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

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