Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-15

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)

Many people believe that nowadays the most important environmental problem is the loss of a certain plant and animal species, while others argue that there are other major problems in our environment. Although both views have merit, I believe that problems caused by human activities to environment are more critical.

The decilne in number of a specific plant type and animal can have devastating effects as it disturbs the ecosystem of both. For example, the complete extinction of a plant can be dangerous because it can be used in future to develop a medicine for a incurable disease. Additionally, a animal may be consuming that type of specific plant and will lose it's source of food. At the same time, animals also act as prey for other creatures and loss of them will mean predators might struggle to survive which will disturb the animals cycle of food.

Environmental problems caused by human activities are also important to address. Governments cut huge amount of green spaces to create road, bridges, tall buildings etc for personal benefits which eventually harms the environment. For instance, a city with more builtup area than green space will suffer from higher land surface temperatures, more population and bad air quality. These problems contribute to global warming which furthur damages the environment.

In conclusion, the loss of plants and animals are dangerous for environment, I believe that damage to environment caused by human activities is far more dangerous as it effects the lives of plants, animal and also humans.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and state a clear position: the opening acknowledges the importance of species loss, while the conclusion argues that human-caused environmental damage is more serious. The examples about medicinal plants, food sources and urban development are relevant and help explain your reasoning. This meets the task well, with some elements developed more fully than others. In particular, the discussion of species loss explains ecological consequences, but the alternative view is treated mainly through cutting green spaces and its effects on cities; a further distinct problem, such as pollution or climate change, would broaden the comparison. The link between human activity and the final claim that it is “far more dangerous” could also be explained more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. The progression from species loss to human-caused damage is easy to follow, and signposts such as “For example,” “Additionally,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. This is a coherent arrangement, though some connections are mechanical or not fully clear. In the first body paragraph, the sequence from a plant’s possible medicinal use to animals losing food and predators losing prey contains several related points, but the links between them could be made more explicit. The conclusion also repeats the main position without drawing together the comparison. Use clearer referencing and transitions to show how each example supports your central argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “extinction,” “ecosystem,” “green spaces,” “land surface temperatures,” and “global warming.” These choices make the subject clear, and some less common terms are attempted. However, several word-choice and collocation errors reduce precision, such as “a certain plant and animal species,” “animals cycle of food,” and “more population.” Spelling slips such as “decilne,” “furthur,” and “effects” (where “affects” is intended) also detract from accuracy. Aim for more natural environmental collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, “the food chain” is more idiomatic than “animals cycle of food,” while “a larger population” expresses the intended idea more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including a concessive opening (“Although both views have merit”) and a conditional example (“a city … will suffer”). Meaning is generally clear, and the sentence structures allow you to explain causes and consequences. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with articles, agreement, plurals and sentence boundaries. Examples include “a incurable disease,” “a animal,” “a city with more builtup area,” and “the loss of plants and animals are dangerous.” The final sentence joins two independent clauses with a comma, so it would be clearer as two sentences or with a suitable conjunction. Review article use and subject–verb agreement, and proofread punctuation while retaining the complex structures you already attempt.

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