Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

With the evolution of modern society, there has been a remarkable change in human behaviour and consumer habits. A school of thought believes that the major environmental problem today is the extinction of particular species of plants and animals. While the critics on the other hand argue that there are more vital ecological problems. The following paragraphs will discuss both the view points and state my opinion.

Certain individuals are of the view that the imperative problem of environment is the loss of some animals and plants species because witht the deforestation, a large number of animals and plants have lost their habitats which led to their extinction. Moreover, cutting of plants and trees disturbs the food chain which subsequently affects the feeding behaviour of the species and leads to their death consequently.

Another school of thought says that there are several other factors that impacts our surroundings. This includes different types of pollution caused by humans, factories, natural calamities. With a noticeable rise in global temperature, many species are not able to adapt that cause their extinction. Additionally, it has greatly influenced the eco-system causing variations in the environment we breathe in.

I strongly believe that there are varied environmental problems that we deal with in our everyday lives. The human attitude towards the nature has changed that imposes a great risk to all living organisms. People throw litter everywhere that deteriorates the surroundings. The usage of increased number of vehicles releases a large amount of gases in the air that poses greater health risks.

To conclude, folks are dealing with a great number of environmental problems including cutting of trees, loss of animal habitats, pollution, wildfires. All these factors play a crucial role in destroying our surroundings which could be overcome by combined efforts of the vast majority of the people so as to save our mother nature for the generations to come.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that species loss is the main environmental problem versus other major concerns—and provides a clear personal opinion in the fourth paragraph. Ideas are generally relevant, though some arguments, such as the discussion of litter and vehicle emissions in the body paragraph supporting the personal view, tend to overlap with general pollution rather than being fully extended. The position is maintained throughout the essay. While the development of ideas could be deeper, the response successfully covers the requirements of the task. Therefore, a band score of 6.5 is appropriate for this criterion, as it addresses all parts of the task with relevant ideas, though some areas remain somewhat general.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical sequence of paragraphs, moving from an introduction to two body paragraphs discussing the opposing views, followed by a personal opinion and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'To conclude' are used to structure the text, although some referencing and transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the opening phrases of the body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct topics. There is a clear progression of ideas throughout the response. Consequently, this performance aligns well with the band 6 descriptor for coherence and cohesion, featuring a clear overall structure despite occasional mechanical use of cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'extinction', 'ecosystem', 'deforestation', and 'habitats'. There are several attempts to use less common lexical items, although some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation occur, such as 'imperative problem of environment' instead of 'primary environmental problem', and 'witht' as a minor slip. Spelling is generally good, and errors do not impede communication. The vocabulary allows the writer to convey their ideas clearly. This performance warrants a band score of 6.0, as it shows an adequate lexical range with some attempts at less common phrasing accompanied by minor errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and conditional-style constructions. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, such as 'that cause their extinction' (missing subject/agreement), 'factors that impacts' (plural/singular mismatch), and 'usage of increased number of vehicles'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors are present, they rarely impede communication. The control over complex structures is somewhat limited, with frequent minor inaccuracies. This places the response firmly at band 6.0, reflecting a mix of sentence forms with recurring errors that do not prevent the reader from understanding the intended message.

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