Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-31

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)

There is an ongoing debate among the people. Many people argue that the loss of particular species of plants and animals are the main environmental problem of our time, while others say that beside this there are plenty of environmental issues which are more serious than that. Before giving my opinion, both views will be discussed further, with the reasons and examples, in the following examples.

Supporters of the former view suggest that plants and animals are as important as human beings for the sustainable life cycle. Plants provide foods, useful for making medicine or daily life products and absorbs carbon dioxide and release oxygen during day time which helps living beigns such as animals and human beigns to inhale that oxygen and survive. Some particular species in that are very important because it have several benefits. For example, Neem tree. Steam of the neem trees is used for making medicines, soaps, shampoos and inhales more carbon dioxide than the other plants. Meanwhile, animals teach survival skills to the humans. Animals often adapt the harsh the conditions and face the challenges. They change themselves according to climate. Herbivoures animals eat plants and wild animals eat other animal which help to continue the life cycle.

Therefore, particular animals and species are important and it is the main problem of our time.

On the other hand, supporters of the latter view have their own claims. They argue that other environmental problem needs more attention than the former one because it is for the survival of the living beigns. For example, Air pollution. Air pollution are gradually increasing and becomes the life threathing for the living beigns if it grows at the same rate. These types of issues are very important because it could wipe out the human existence. Many Asian cities are suffering from these and it could affect the people lungs and could cause aasthma and heart related issues. Another concern is continuosly increasing temperature of the world. As the pollution is spreading which melts the Antartica ice burgs would increase the sea level and raise the temperature as the ice helps to cools down the Earth temperature. Many European and Asian cities face the similiar problems. The average temperature of the Indian cities would be exceeds than 45 degree celcius and the street light of European cities is melting and turns into melting form.

In conclusion and offer my position, although it is serious issue that particular species of plant and animals are at extinction, I would like to favour the latter view than the former view because I believe that the Earth is currently facing many huge issue than the former one. Pollution is continuosly increasing which increase sea level and earth temperature.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and make your own position clear: you ultimately favour the view that broader environmental problems are more serious. The discussion of species loss includes relevant points about plants’ uses and the role of animals in food chains, while the second view is supported with air pollution and rising temperatures. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The first paragraph’s claims about animals teaching humans survival skills and adapting to climate are not clearly connected to why species loss is the main problem. Some examples in the second view, such as melting street lights, are unclear or insufficiently explained. To strengthen the response, explain the consequences of each problem more precisely and show why your chosen view is more important overall.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion that restates your position. This gives the reader an overall route through the discussion. You also use signposting such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion.” However, some links are mechanical or unclear, and the opening promises “examples” twice without stating the essay’s direction clearly. Within paragraphs, ideas sometimes jump—for instance, the discussion moves from plants’ benefits to animals’ adaptation without a clear transition. References such as “these” in “Many Asian cities are suffering from these” are not precise. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example explicitly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “sustainable life cycle,” “carbon dioxide,” “air pollution,” “sea level,” and “extinction,” which helps communicate the subject. There are also attempts at more specific terms, such as “herbivorous” and “Antarctica.” However, word choice, collocation, and spelling are often inaccurate, sometimes making meaning difficult to follow: “life threathing,” “continuosly increasing temperature,” and “street light … turns into melting form” are examples. Some phrases are also imprecise, such as “particular species in that” and “the former one.” Aim to use familiar environmental vocabulary accurately before adding less common terms, and check spelling and natural word combinations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “because,” “which,” and “although.” This allows you to express causes and contrasts, and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, some grammatical errors recur in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction. For example, “the loss … are” should use a singular verb, and “Air pollution are gradually increasing” has the same agreement problem. In “the average temperature … would be exceeds,” the verb pattern is incorrect; “the temperature … would exceed” is needed. Some long sentences also combine several ideas without clear grammatical control. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and verb forms, and divide complex explanations into shorter, complete sentences.

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