Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Some people argue that the extinction of certain wildlife and plant is the most serious environment issue facing the world today, while others believe that there are more pressing environmental concerns. Although species loss is undoubtedly a critical concern, I believe that broader issues such as climate change and pollution pose a greater threat to both humans and the natural environment.

On the one hand, the disappearance of particular species can have serious consequence for ecosystems. Every plant and animal play a role in maintaining ecological balance and the loss of one organism can disrupt food chains and affect other species. Moreover, loss of such biodiversity cannot be restored. For instance, the decline of bees and other pollinators could negatively affect crop production because many plants depend on them for reproduction. Therefore, protecting endangered species is essential for maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

On the other hand, there are environmental concerns that arguably have a far wider and more immediate impact. Climate change, for example is contributing in temperature spike, extreme weather and sea-level rise, threatening millions of people as well as wildlife. Similarly air and water pollution can directly bring harm to human health and contaminate natural resources. These issues are particularly concerning because their affects extend across national borders. Consequently, tackling climate change and pollution should receive greater priority than protecting individual species alone.

In conclusion, although the extinction of plant and animal species can seriously disrupt ecosystems, I believe that climate change and pollution are more significant environmental challenges due to their vague and more immediate consequences.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the explanation of ecological balance and the broader impacts of climate change. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, real-world examples beyond the general mention of bees or temperature spikes to further strengthen the argumentation. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two viewpoints is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. The use of referencing is generally effective, though some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different arguments, making the essay easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally precise, with terms like 'ecological balance', 'biodiversity', and 'contaminate natural resources' used correctly. There are a few minor errors, such as the misuse of 'affects' instead of 'effects' in the third paragraph. While the range is adequate for the task, incorporating more nuanced or academic collocations would elevate the lexical quality. The student demonstrates a good command of topic-specific vocabulary, which helps in conveying the arguments clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are occasional minor grammatical slips, such as 'Every plant and animal play' (should be 'plays') and 'contributing in temperature spike' (should be 'contributing to temperature spikes'). Despite these occasional errors, the control of grammar is strong, and the punctuation is accurate throughout the text. The range of structures is sufficient to support the arguments well.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.