Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28

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)

Environment is important for the protection of living species. Some individuals argue that the primary environmental issue is the loss of certain types of plants and animals while others think that there are so many environmental problems instead of one. This essay will discuss the both idea before explaining why I believe that the problem is not only limited in one.

One the one hand, some people argue that at present the main environmental challenge is lossing plants and animals because it helps to maintain a balanced ecosystem. There are some plants and animals who play an important role in this sector by producing food and maintaining food chain. Some plants are highly needed for the extinction of some particular animals. For example, bamboo is the main source of food for Panda. So it is problematic when we lose such important plants and animals.

On the other hand, some people argue that environmental problem is not only limited in a certain peripheral but also works as a vast issue because it affect the broader area such as climate climate change. Climate change is one of the most threatening environmental problem to the world. It is the main cause of global warming and the reason for melting Northern ice. As a result, the sea level is getting higher than before.

In my opinion, environmental problem causes different types of treat to the earth. It is not only limited in the extinction of certain plants and animals but also the whole world. So the problem is deeper than we think.

In conclusion, it can be said that environmental challenges is not limited in a particular area.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and give a clear overall opinion that environmental problems extend beyond species loss. The first body paragraph explains why plants and animals matter to ecosystems, and the panda-and-bamboo example is relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: the second view is mainly illustrated through climate change, global warming and melting ice, with little explanation of why these problems may be more important than species loss. Your own position—that the problem is “not only limited” to extinction—also needs a more direct comparison or a specific reason supporting it. Develop each view with clearer cause-and-effect reasoning and make your judgement explicit about how the problems relate in importance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two contrasting body paragraphs, a separate opinion and a conclusion. “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” help signal the discussion, and the ideas generally follow a sensible order. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear or repetitive. For example, the second body paragraph moves from climate change to global warming and melting ice without clearly distinguishing these as related effects, and the conclusion largely repeats the opinion rather than drawing the discussion together. Some linking phrases, such as “So” and “As a result,” are used mechanically. Make the relationship between each claim and its example more explicit, and use the conclusion to summarise the comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “balanced ecosystem,” “food chain,” “climate change,” “global warming” and “sea level.” These choices make the subject clear, and the panda example gives the discussion some specificity. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning less precise: “lossing,” “certain peripheral,” “treat to the earth” and “the extinction of some particular animals” do not express the intended ideas naturally. There is also repetition of “environmental problem” and “limited.” Build a more precise set of phrases for biodiversity loss and environmental threats, and check word forms and collocations when revising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “while” and “when,” and most of the main ideas remain understandable. Some sentence patterns are controlled, such as “So it is problematic when we lose such important plants and animals.” However, errors in agreement, articles and sentence construction recur: “the both idea,” “One the one hand,” “it affect the broader area,” and “environmental challenges is” are examples. The sentence beginning “Some plants are highly needed…” is also difficult to interpret because its grammatical relationship to the surrounding point is unclear. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and article use, and revise complex sentences to ensure each clause has a clear, complete structure.

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