Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09

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 6.5)

In recent years, climate change has become a major concern for all developing and developed nations. While it is often argued that the loss of particular organisms, such as plants and animals, is a significant environmental issue nowadays, others contend that other environmental problems are more crucial than that. This essay will examine both views and will support the latter statement because numerous factors, such as advancements in technology, can hurt the environment more.

On the one hand, proponents believe that the extinction of plant and animal species predominantly affects the climate due to the lack of their benefits. Plant species release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, whereas animals graze plants and enable them to build new roots and leaves. Furthermore, a study revealed that short plants emit a substantial amount of carbon dioxide compared to trees. A good example is the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals, where plants attract pollinators and animals help to spread them throughout the environment that provides benefits for the climate. But a number of these organisms have become extinct over the decades.

In my view, certain factors can be more detrimental to our climate than losing species, including industries, motor cars and power plants that run on fossil fuels. These advancements have led to significant shifts in people's lives, but their consequences have been faced until now in the form of unexpected rain, flooding and heat stroke in the summer season. Moreover, these problems impose a substantial burden on states, particularly developing countries. For example, South Asian farmers are losing productivity and yield every year due to natural disasters, which can cause inflation. Therefore, addressing other environmental problems is a major challenge to deal with nowadays.

In conclusion, the extinction of plant and animal species can be detrimental to our environment by losing its benefits. But other concerns, such as developments in technology, can hurt the environment more because they directly damage climate-protective layers by emitting harmful gases.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and clearly states a personal position in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as the role of biodiversity in climate regulation and the impact of industrial pollution. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat uneven. For instance, the explanation of how plants and animals interact is a bit simplistic, and the link between 'short plants' and carbon dioxide emissions is scientifically unclear. To reach a higher band, ensure that arguments are fully extended with more precise logical connections. The position is consistent throughout, and the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph could be more precise to improve the overall cohesion. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. You demonstrate a good range of topic-specific terms like 'extinction', 'symbiotic relationship', 'fossil fuels', and 'natural disasters'. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'hurt the environment' (a bit informal) and 'faced until now' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, there is room to incorporate more precise academic collocations to elevate the tone. The range is adequate to convey your meaning clearly without significant errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like structure in 'where plants attract pollinators and animals help to spread them'. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'by losing its benefits' in the conclusion, which creates a dangling modifier, and 'the consequences have been faced until now', which is grammatically clunky. However, these errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on refining complex sentence structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement and prepositional accuracy. The majority of your sentences are clear and error-free.

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