Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-04

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 believe that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of certain species of plants and animals. Others argue that there are more important environmental problems.

Although there are more important environmental problems such as carbon emissions, i believe that loss of certain species biodiversity is one of the main environmental problems we have.

Firstly, The rate of deforestation and killing of some important animals have exposed our environment to harmful threat that affects human beings today. There are too much erosion today in some areas that was in good condition at initial due to deforestation.

Again, lands are now bald and lack necessary nutrients that helps our food to yield well, thereby making farm produce to low in quantity and quality.

Furthermore, Killing of animals have led to loss of wildlife reservation where man is trying to meet up with his financial needs from the sales of this wildlife produce.

On the other hand, there other important environmental problems that poses threat to man today. Most of this threat are coming from the activities of man on the land. Nowadays, people continue to burn rubbers and other products like fuel that produces carbon emissions to the air. continuous burning of these things, will affect the ozone layer which its effects on human beings will be diasterous.

for instance, citing of rubber and petrol industries near residential areas and use of heavy vehicles that uses fuel that releases coals to the air have done more harm than good to people.

In conclusion, although there are other important environmental problems that affect man, i believe that loss of particular species of plants and animals are the main environmental problems

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and state your position: you acknowledge carbon emissions as a serious problem, while arguing that species loss is among the main environmental concerns. The points about deforestation, soil erosion and reduced farm productivity are relevant, and the example of emissions from industries and vehicles supports the opposing view. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The link between killing animals and “loss of wildlife reservation” is unclear, and the essay does not explain why biodiversity loss is more important than the other problems it mentions. Your conclusion repeats your position but does not draw together the comparison. Develop each main point with a clearer explanation or specific example, and make your judgement between the two views more explicit. (20 words copied from the task prompt were not counted.)

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an overall structure: an introduction, discussion of species loss, a contrasting paragraph on other environmental problems, and a conclusion. Connectors such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “On the other hand” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow. For example, the move from animal killing to “loss of wildlife reservation” and financial needs is not clearly explained, while the first body paragraph shifts quickly from erosion to farm yields. Some linking is mechanical, and “Again” does not clearly show how the next point relates to the previous one. Use topic sentences to establish each paragraph’s focus and add explicit links that show cause, consequence, or contrast.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant environmental vocabulary, including “deforestation,” “carbon emissions,” “erosion,” “nutrients,” and “ozone layer,” so the topic is generally clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “farm produce” and “residential areas.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, including “harmful threat,” “lands are now bald,” “wildlife reservation,” and “releases coals to the air.” Spelling errors such as “diasterous” also reduce accuracy. Choose precise terms and check how they combine: for example, describe land as “degraded” or “bare,” and refer to “wildlife habitats” or “protected areas” where appropriate. This would make the argument easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a concession in “Although there are more important environmental problems…” and a result clause beginning “thereby making…”. However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to process. Examples include “there are too much erosion,” “areas that was,” “nutrients that helps,” and “there other important environmental problems.” Subject–verb agreement, plural forms, and missing verbs need attention. Sentence boundaries and capitalisation are also inconsistent, as in “continuous burning” and “for instance” after full stops. Practise checking each sentence for a clear subject and verb, agreement, and correct punctuation; then build complexity from accurate basic clauses.

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