Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-17

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 5.5)

If we look at our daily lives, many factors around us are detrimental for our environment. But as long as it's not directly affecting our day to day life we don't bat and eye.

Some people argue the major crisis of our time is extinction of particular species of plants and animals. This stance seems very reasonable as we know how every single specie is important for healthy ecosystem and contribute to cycle of life and any disturbance in number of particular plant or animal directly affects the life of every dependent too. For example, if one specie is removed from a certain area, the consumer of that specie will be expelled naturally with no source of survival and it can take a toll on overall environment.

On the other hand, some people argue that there are other more critical environmental issues like ozone layer depletion, melting of glaciers and. One of these issues is the rise in green house gasses which are making the environment unbearable for every kind of life on earth by causing global warming. These gases are the result of uncontrolled carbon emission from unattended human activities which are harmful for our environment. If this issue isn't addressed on larger scale it can be much more destructive and can lead to other major crisis in near future like landsliding, rise in sea level and flooding of coastal regions and many more.

In my opinion, even though we can't undermine the negative effect of loss of extinct species, other environmental problems which can be solved should be focused more. We can't get back already lost population of plants and animals but we can definitely work towards safety of what's left.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and give a clear preference for addressing environmental problems that can still be tackled. The explanation of species loss is relevant: you describe how removing one species can affect dependent consumers and the wider ecosystem. You also identify climate change and related consequences as broader threats. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The second view is supported mainly by a list of problems and a general warning, while the opinion that other problems “should be focused more” is not fully explained or tied clearly to your examples. Develop each side with a specific example and explain why you consider one problem more urgent or consequential.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a concluding opinion. “On the other hand” clearly signals the shift between perspectives, and the examples generally follow the claims they support. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes loose. The second body paragraph moves from ozone depletion and melting glaciers to greenhouse gases without explaining the relationship between these examples, and the final paragraph introduces a distinction between lost and remaining species without fully connecting it to the earlier argument. Use clearer topic sentences and develop one main line of reasoning in each paragraph. More precise referencing and transitions would make the argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “extinction,” “ecosystem,” “carbon emission,” and “global warming,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also noticeable word-choice, collocation, and spelling problems that sometimes make the meaning less clear. For example, “every single specie” and “consumer of that specie” use the wrong form, while “unattended human activities” does not naturally describe the source of emissions. “Bat and eye” appears to be a mistaken expression, and “green house gasses” is incorrectly written. Aim for accurate, natural combinations and check spelling and word forms; this would make your environmental vocabulary more effective and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, such as the explanation beginning “as we know how every single specie is important” and the conditional “If this issue isn't addressed…”. However, attempts at complex sentences are often faulty, and errors recur in agreement, articles, plurals, and sentence construction. For instance, “every single specie is important … and contribute” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “the rise in green house gasses which are making” is an awkwardly connected clause. The opening “But as long as…” is also a fragment in this context. Practise building complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check agreement and punctuation when joining clauses.

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