Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-05

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)

Some argue that biodiversity loss is most critical issue, others believe that problems like pollution are more urgent. While opinions remain divided, I firmly contend that although species extinction is serious, climate change and pollution pose a greater immediate threat. Those who believe that species loss is the biggest often point to the importance of biodiversity. The foremost justification lies in the fact that every plant and animal plays a role in the university. This, in turns, gives rise to if bees became extinct, many crops will fail because there will be no pollination. Furthermore, extinction is permanent. Once a species like the dodo or white rhino is gone. It cannot be bought back. Finally, many modern medicines are derived from plant. Losing these species could mean losing potential cures for diseases. Beyond this, it is important to recognize that most serious issues is climate change. Moreover, rising global temperatures are causing floods, droughts, and heatwaves that affect millions of people. We saw this in Pakistan during the 2022 floods. Another major problem is pollution. In addition, air pollution in big cities causes asthma and other health problems. Water pollution also leads to diseases in poor communities. These problems affect human beings directly immediately, whereas the impact of species loss may take decades to be fully felt. For these reasons, I remain firmly convinced that although protecting endangered species is important for the long term health of the planet, climate change and pollution are more critical because they pose an immediate threat to human survival. Therefore, governments should take strong action on these issues first, while also working to protect biodiversity.

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. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of pollination and medical research for biodiversity, and climate change and pollution for the opposing view. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, the point about 'university' (likely meaning 'universe') is a bit vague, and the argument could be strengthened by further explaining the long-term consequences of biodiversity loss versus the immediate nature of pollution. The position is consistent throughout, but the depth of analysis is more characteristic of a Band 6.5 or 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each viewpoint, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore', 'Moreover', and 'In addition', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different arguments. However, there are some minor issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the sentence fragment 'Once a species like the dodo or white rhino is gone. It cannot be bought back.' Improving the flow between these sentences would elevate the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'biodiversity', 'extinction', and 'pollination'. However, there are some word choice errors, such as 'role in the university' instead of 'universe' or 'ecosystem', and 'bought back' instead of 'brought back'. The range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding basic errors in word usage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

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. Examples include 'most critical issue' (missing article), 'if bees became extinct, many crops will fail' (inconsistent tense usage), and 'most serious issues is' (subject-verb agreement). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of full stops where commas or conjunctions would be more appropriate. These errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.

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