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)

People have different views regarding environmental problems. Some people says that decreasing number of plants species and animals is the main environmental problem of their time, while others argue that there are more environmental issues rather then just these two. From my prespective, I strongly agree with the people who says that there are more environmental issues.

To begin with people's first view, a significant decline is reported in the number of plants species and animals over the years. This issue is more then it sounds because in a forest is there will not the different species of plants and animals then it cannot be addressed as a forest. Many countries in the world have their national animals and national birds as well as plants and fruits.For instance, India have tiger as its national animal, which is decreasing at higher level. Moreover, due to decrease in plants and animals, food chain is also affecting which is major concern towards environmental problems.

Turning to the other views of people who used to believe that not only loss of plants and animal is the single concern, there are a lot then we think. Rapid globalisation is a major factor which is causing problems for ecological environment. For example, expension of network across the world is creating problems for birds and insects however it is important for humans. Constructing buildings and houses is destroying forests by cutting down thousands of trees which is itself a environmental damage.

In conclusion, both the statements are true that loss of animals breed and plants species is a environmental issue in modern world. However it also cannot be ignored that there are not only these two problems becuse there are a lot others.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and state your position in the introduction, saying you agree that environmental problems extend beyond species loss. The examples of declining tiger numbers, food-chain effects, and forest clearance are relevant. However, the two sides are not developed equally: the first view receives some explanation, while the second is mainly supported by brief claims about globalisation and construction. The link between expanding networks and harm to birds and insects is not made clear, and the conclusion repeats the position without explaining which wider problems you consider most important or why. To strengthen the response, develop each view with a clear cause-and-effect explanation and a specific example, then make your own comparison explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Phrases such as “To begin with” and “Turning to” help signal the change in focus, and the main ideas can generally be followed. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “This issue is more then it sounds because in a forest is there will not…” makes the reasoning difficult to follow, while “there are a lot then we think” does not clearly connect to the preceding point. The conclusion also largely repeats the introduction. Improve progression by making each paragraph’s main point explicit, linking examples directly to that point, and using clear references rather than relying mainly on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “food chain,” “ecological environment,” “globalisation,” and “environmental damage,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts to express more specific ideas, such as “national animal” and “decline.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce precision: “plants species,” “expension of network,” and “loss of animals breed” are unclear or unnatural. Repetition of “environmental problems” and “decreasing” also limits flexibility. Build a bank of accurate topic phrases and check word forms and spelling; for example, use “plant species,” “network expansion,” and “animal species.” More precise vocabulary would make your explanations easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “because,” and “which.” This shows an effort to vary sentence structure, but control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “Some people says,” “India have,” and “which is decreasing,” where subject–verb agreement or the verb form is faulty. The sentence beginning “because in a forest…” has a confused structure, and article and plural forms are also unreliable, as in “a environmental damage.” To improve, first make simple sentence patterns accurate, then build longer sentences around one clear main clause. Check agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms carefully when editing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.