Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-05

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 6.0)

Some people are of the view that the prime environmental issue of our time is the extinction of specific species of plants and animals because this disturbs the natural cycle. However, others argue that there are more significant environmental problems such as changing climatic conditions. I agree with the latter view.

On the one hand, some people believe that the most serious environmental problem nowadays in the loss of particular species of plants and animals. This is because it affects the natural cycle. Every specie performs a specific role in the environment that contributes to a larger goal. For example, bees collect nectar from flowers and then produce honey. This honey is then consumed by humans as well as animals like bears. Therefore, if bees experience extinction we all would be deprived of honey. Futhermore, extinction of species also reduces biodiversity. The coral reef, which is a habitat of many small fishes in the sea, is undergoing extinction despite the constant effort from scientists to protect it. With no coral reef many fishes would lose their home and will be more exposed to attacks.

On the other hand, some people believe that there are more important environmental issues, such as the changing weather conditions. Increase in temperatures all around the world has negatively effected the growth of crops, such as wheat, rice etc. Pakistan is an agricultural country where crops are grown throughout the year, but due to early summers and heavily rainfalls in the monsoon season unbalances the growth cycle of crops. Furthermore, the melting of glaciers has also sped up due to the rise in temperatures resulting in rising water levels adversely effecting the marine life and aquatic plants. Moreover, the heavy rainfall are leading to urban floodings. Last year in Pakistan several people experienced heavy financial losses due to water filling up in their houses and cars.

In conclusion, even though the loss of particular species of plants and animals is an important enviromental issue as it disrupts the natual cycle of events, I believe that there are other more important issues such as climate change.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—the loss of specific species and broader environmental problems like climate change—and clearly states the writer's own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Note that 18 words copied directly from the task prompt were not counted towards the overall word count. The ideas are generally relevant, but some are more fully developed than others. For instance, the discussion on the extinction of bees and coral reefs is extended with examples, but the points regarding climate change tend to over-generalise and rely heavily on a single regional example from Pakistan. To reach the next level, all main ideas should be equally well-extended and supported without leaning too heavily on specific personal or local anecdotes.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression throughout. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, the two body paragraphs discussing opposing views, and the conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to signal transitions, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally mechanical or slightly repetitive, as seen in the frequent use of 'This is because', 'This honey is then', and 'Furthermore'. To move higher, the writer needs to integrate cohesive devices more flexibly and ensure that referencing remains smooth and varied rather than relying on formulaic transition patterns.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'biodiversity', 'extinction', and 'agricultural country'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word form that do not impede communication. Examples include writing 'specie' instead of the correct singular form 'species', 'in the loss' instead of 'is the loss', and 'heavily rainfalls' instead of 'heavy rainfall'. Additionally, phrases like 'water filling up' lack precision. To achieve a higher band, the writer should demonstrate greater control over less common lexical items, refine collocations, and eliminate word form errors to enhance precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures such as relative clauses and conditional-style reasoning. However, there are a number of errors in grammar and punctuation. For instance, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and word patterns, such as 'negatively effected' (instead of affected), 'adversely effecting', and 'urban floodings' (flooding is typically uncountable here). Punctuation and preposition choices within grammatical patterns also show occasional lapses. These errors represent a frequency typical of a mix where simple structures are handled better than complex ones, though they rarely impede communication. To improve, the student needs to increase control over complex sentence patterns and reduce errors in verb forms and plurals.

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