Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-22

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 5.5)

Few people states that the important environmental problem at the present times is due to the loss of specific species of plants and animals where on the other hand, others say that there are more important problems of environment which exists.In my opinion, loss of plants and animal species is not only the cause of the environmental problem, but there are many more reasons for the same.

Firstly, during the consequent years, there is a loss of many species of plants and animals. This can be one of the reason which cause environmental issues. Because of the same, entire food cycle is been disturbed which is the root cause for many problems. Plants are one of the major sources of oxygen and it provides fresh air. Animals on the other hand also plays a major role to keep environment balanced.Many of them hunt the other animals to survive where some eat plants as there food.If distinction of plants and animals continues, it will affect the environment.

But the loss of animals and plants is not the only reason for the same.In the past decades, people were using bicycles as their mode of transport. But nowadays,use of cars and bikes have increased exponentially which cause pollution.Even to travel small distance, instaed of walking they prefer to use vehicles. Moreover, many big companies had destroyed forest for the personal and government use. There are many industries present which throw the harmful substance into the water bodies which harm the species which are present inside and also cause water pollution.

In conclusion, loss of some animal and plant species are not the only reason for the environmental issues. There are many other factors that cause the issues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that the loss of specific species is the main environmental problem, and that there are more important issues—while also providing a clear personal opinion. The student's ideas are generally relevant, such as mentioning food chains, pollution, and deforestation. However, the development of these ideas tends to be somewhat superficial and repetitive, particularly in the conclusion where the main points are restated without adding deeper insight. Examples are generalized rather than specific. These characteristics place the response firmly at Band 6, where all parts are addressed with some relevant ideas, though parts of the argument remain under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different arguments, such as the focus on species loss versus industrial pollution. However, progression is sometimes hindered by mechanical or repetitive cohesive devices, such as repeatedly using 'the same' or 'on the other hand' in a rigid manner. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as 'Because of the same, entire food cycle is been disturbed'. These features align with the Band 6 descriptor, where the essay is coherent overall, but cohesion within and between sentences is sometimes faulty or mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'exponentially', 'disturbed', and 'substance'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors throughout the text, including 'Few people states', 'distinction of plants and animals' (intended to mean destruction or extinction), and 'instaed'. Spelling and word formation mistakes occur frequently enough to occasionally draw attention, though they do not seriously impede communication. This corresponds to a Band 6 score, reflecting an adequate vocabulary with some inaccuracy and occasional errors in spelling and word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some variety in structure. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'entire food cycle is been disturbed', 'as there food', and 'cause pollution' (tense agreement issues). Punctuation and spacing errors are also present, such as missing spaces after periods. While complex structures are attempted, they are often faulty, and errors require the reader to occasionally re-read parts of the text. Because communication is not severely impaired despite frequent non-systematic errors, this performance fits the Band 5 descriptor well.

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