Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-22

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)

Some people claim that that the loss of certain species of plants and animals is the primary environmental problem of our time. However, others think that more environmental predicaments are prevalent. Despite being a severe problem, the loss of particular species of trees and animals is not the only fundamental environmental problem to me.

Trees and animals are the main living creatures that keep the whole environment balanced. Plants take in carbon dioxide that is released by the humans and animals, and produce oxygen, release it in the air, which is taken by all the birds and mammals. If a tree is cut down or an animal dies, this cycle of balance gets disrupted which hampers the environment. Besides, many species of living creatures came into existence throughout the centuries, from which, some survived and others got extinct due to natural disasters or man-made cataclysmic disaster. For instance, the rural and urban development caused the eradication of local plants and animals which has negatively affected the environment. Likewise, there are other prevailing environmental problems.

Since the dawn of civilization, humans are technologically advancing, through industrialisation and other processes. The factories and other related constructions emit harmful gases in the air. The rivers are being washed up to build new houses and infrastructers. Besides, the soil is getting polluted by the use of pesticides and other chemicals that are being used in agriculture. Eventually, these problems are causing harmful effect in environment.

In conclusion, i think there are more severe environmental problems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You present a relevant position: species loss is serious, but you consider other environmental problems more severe. You also discuss both views, explaining how plants and animals contribute to environmental balance and then describing pollution from factories, construction and agriculture. However, the two sides are not developed equally: the first is supported with explanation and an example, while the case for other problems is mostly a list, with little explanation of their relative scale or consequences. The conclusion repeats your opinion but does not draw together the reasons. To strengthen the response, explain why issues such as air, water and soil pollution may affect more people or ecosystems than species loss, and support this comparison with a specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from an introduction to a paragraph on species loss, a paragraph on other environmental problems, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “However,” “Besides,” and “In conclusion” help signal these stages. Nevertheless, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the sentence about species becoming extinct through natural disasters interrupts the explanation of environmental balance, and “Likewise, there are other prevailing environmental problems” functions more as a transition than as a developed link. The final paragraph is very brief and does not connect the main points. Organise each body paragraph around one clear claim, then explain and illustrate it before moving to the next idea; use references that make the relationship between ideas explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “species,” “industrialisation,” “pesticides,” and “environmental predicaments,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, noticeable problems with word choice and collocation that make some phrases awkward or unclear. For example, “the rivers are being washed up” does not express the intended idea, and “harmful effect in environment” is not a natural phrase. “Cataclysmic disaster” is also unnecessarily repetitive. Aim for precise, natural combinations rather than choosing a more elaborate word where a simpler one is clearer. Reviewing collocations and spelling, including “infrastructures,” would improve accuracy and make your argument easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures such as “If a tree is cut down or an animal dies…” and a relative clause beginning “which is taken by all the birds and mammals.” These attempts show some range, but errors recur and occasionally make sentences difficult to process. The opening repeats “that,” while “Plants take in carbon dioxide … and produce oxygen, release it” has an unclear, faulty verb sequence. There are also problems with articles and agreement in “causing harmful effect in environment,” and the tense in “Since the dawn of civilization, humans are technologically advancing” is not well controlled. Build accuracy by checking each sentence’s subject and verb, maintaining consistent tense, and separating long sentences when their structure becomes difficult to manage.

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