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)

In this day and age, there has been a considerable debate over the main environmental issues across the globe. Some people advocate the loss of biodiversity is the critical issue; conversely, others object to it, arguing that climate change and pollution pose a greater threat. While it is important to acknowledge that both have compelling arguments, this essay agrees with the latter view.

To commence with, the proponents of the loss of various species is the main issue for environment opine that deforestation and animal loss can reduce the cleanliness and oxygen from the planet. When trees, they believe, are cut down, it may become very difficult to clean the polluted air and produce enough oxygen, as the trees do that job without any expense. To illustrate, a study by Forbes revealed that 70% of the areas where cutting trees is not prohibited, the air of these areas is not clean and proper for breathing-it can cause diseases. Hence, the loss of trees and habitats may have a negative impact on the environment.

On the contrary, the opponent of the idea that the biodiversity loss is the primary issue of environment argue that the global warming and pollution are damaging the environment most. When the vehicle exhausts, according to this school of thought, add to the carbon footprints in the air, it also damages the ozone layer, which increases the environmental complications. Furthermore, the global warming may pose a number of threats to the environment. It can increase the heat waves as well as raise the risk of flooding. They substantiate their point of view by sharing the results of some recent studies showing how the global warming can destroy some whole cities with floods. Hence, I, too, question the idea that the loss of numerous species is the major environmental challenge.

To recapitulate, it is true that deforestation and loss of some animals can cause some issues to the environment. Nevertheless, no one can dispute the fact that pollution and global warming are the main environmental crises, so I assert that climate-change and the air pollution can have detrimental impact on the environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting both viewpoints and a clear personal opinion. The position is consistent throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the second paragraph discusses biodiversity, it focuses heavily on deforestation rather than the broader concept of species loss. The third paragraph effectively contrasts this with climate change and pollution. To reach a higher band, the arguments could be more nuanced; for example, explaining why climate change is a more 'urgent' threat compared to the extinction of specific species would provide deeper analysis. Overall, the task is well-covered, but the depth of argumentation could be improved.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'On the contrary', and 'To recapitulate' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. The progression of ideas is clear, though the connection between the specific example of deforestation and the broader topic of biodiversity could be more tightly integrated to improve the flow of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with some good collocations such as 'compelling arguments', 'detrimental impact', and 'carbon footprints'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'the proponents of the loss of various species is the main issue', which is grammatically awkward. The range is sufficient to convey ideas clearly, but there is a lack of more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would demonstrate a higher level of control. The word choice is functional and accurate enough to avoid confusion, but it does not consistently show the flexibility required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are recurring grammatical errors. For instance, 'the proponents of the loss of various species is the main issue' contains a subject-verb agreement error, and 'the global warming' uses an unnecessary definite article. Punctuation is generally correct, though the hyphenation in 'climate-change' is unnecessary. The majority of the sentences are error-free, and the errors present do not impede communication. To improve, the student should focus on refining complex sentence structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement.

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