Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

In recent times, many people believe that the major environmental issues are due to the extinction of specific types of plants and animals, while many people are of the opinion that there are other more vital problems like pollution and natural disasters associated with the environment. In my opinion, I agree with the latter statement because the air and noise pollution are the main contributors to the surroundings. This essay will explain both views and the reasons related to them.

Two main problems for the survival of our habitat are deforestation and the extinction of animals. People are cutting trees in the urban areas, creating hurdles for the local people. This has increased the earth's temperature and proven harmful for the climate. For example, natural disasters like floods and earthquakes are increased due to land degradation and deforestation. Similarly, throwing everything, including the rubbish, in the oceans and seas has disastrous effects on the aquatic and marine life. Specific types of fishes and dolphins are extinct, which were the sources of food and employment.

The major problem affecting our surroundings is pollution. Air pollution caused by the increasing transportation and the smoke from the vehicles has been harmful for a person's health. Many illnesses like lung diseases and coughs are common because of the smoke exposure. Furthermore, noise pollution from the horns of cars and motorbikes is also destroying the environment. For instance, many people are facing hearing problems and are using hearing aids due to long-term damage to their ears due to noise pollution.

From my perspective, there is a need to focus on the impact of these environmental problems, as air pollution and noise pollution will degrade the earth's air quality and will cause health problems.

In conclusion, although cutting off trees and the death of specific animals can be dangerous for the habitat, the pollution and climatic changes should be considered more important.

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 versus other major environmental problems like pollution—and provides a clear personal opinion throughout. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others. For instance, the discussion on plant and animal extinction covers deforestation and aquatic life, but the arguments regarding pollution are slightly repetitive, leaning heavily on air and noise pollution without fully extending the broader scope of environmental issues. To reach a higher band, the student needs to fully develop all parts of the argument with deeper insights and more precise examples rather than over-generalising certain points.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear, logical progression throughout. Each paragraph has a discernible focus, starting with an introduction that outlines both views and the writer's stance, moving through body paragraphs that discuss different facets of the topic, and ending with a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For example', and 'In conclusion' are used to connect ideas, though referencing and transitional phrases occasionally feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct arguments. To achieve a higher level, the student should aim for more fluid and varied cohesive links that guide the reader naturally without relying on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an attempt to use less common items such as 'deforestation', 'aquatic and marine life', and 'land degradation'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'cutting off trees' instead of 'cutting down trees' and 'specific types of fishes' where 'fish' is more appropriate. Spelling and word choice errors do not impede communication, allowing the reader to follow the arguments easily. To move up to the next band, the student needs to consistently use a wider, more flexible range of precise lexical items and demonstrate greater control over less common vocabulary and idiomatic phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures such as subordinate clauses and conditional constructions. There are some errors in grammar, particularly with article usage and prepositions, such as 'in the urban areas' instead of 'in urban areas' and 'smoke from the vehicles' rather than 'vehicle smoke'. Punctuation is generally handled well, and the grammatical errors present are occasional and rarely impede communication. To reach a higher band, the writer should incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with higher frequency of error-free sentences, ensuring absolute control over articles, plurals, and prepositional patterns.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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