Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-10

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)

It is considered by some individuals that the main environmental problem of nowadays is the loss of particular species of plants and animals, while others have some contradictory view that there are more important environmental problems.

The foremost statement that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals as people are cleaning surfaces to make it available for construction which lead to decrease in land cultivation and particular species distinction. People are hunting animals to make luxury clothes and shoes from the skin of animals. For instance the famous brand Louis Vuitton is using the skin of animals to make bags which make it expensive to sale. Companies and popular brands are using animals for their own use and also rich people are hunting animals for competitions and for their own enjoyment. Plants are use in ayurvedic medicines and are less grown by individuals due to the modern busy lives which relay on office work and technology.

Another contradictory view that there are more important environmental problems such as pollution, scarcity of purified water and overuse of non- renewable resources. Demands of people are also increasing with increasing population which lead to setting up of new factories which result in increase in pollution by smoke coming out from chimneys into air and the waste dumped directly into rivers affect the marine habitats also. People in remote areas are more prone to cancer like diseases due to scarcity of fresh water.

However, according to my opinion saving the endangered species of flora and fauna is quite much important as plants are the lungs of the environment if we donot save plants, it may lead to deficiency of oxygen and animals are also a living creatures which is necessary to maintain balanced lifestyle on earth.

In conclusion, after considering the points such as deficiency of oxygen and to maintain balance on earth, I firmly agree with the first statement.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and give a clear opinion: the essay explains species loss in the second paragraph, discusses pollution and water scarcity in the third, and supports protecting flora and fauna in the final paragraphs. The examples of habitat clearance, hunting, factory emissions and polluted rivers are relevant. However, the two sides are not developed equally: the discussion of other environmental problems is brief, and the link between water scarcity and cancer is asserted without explanation or support. The Louis Vuitton example focuses on one company rather than showing the wider scale of species loss. To strengthen the response, explain the consequences of each problem and make the comparison behind your opinion more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure, with separate paragraphs for the two views, your opinion and a conclusion. Transitions such as “Another contradictory view” and “However” help signal changes in direction, and the conclusion returns to your position. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, though. The opening sentence of the second paragraph is difficult to follow, and the final paragraph repeats the same reasons about oxygen and balance rather than adding a distinct concluding point. Within paragraphs, several ideas are placed together without showing precisely how one leads to the next. Use clearer topic sentences and link each example directly to the claim it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of environmental vocabulary, including “endangered species,” “flora and fauna,” “non-renewable resources,” “marine habitats” and “scarcity of fresh water.” These terms help communicate the topic, and some less common expressions are attempted. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “particular species distinction,” “cleaning surfaces,” “available for construction” and “quite much important.” “Plants are the lungs of the environment” is understandable but would be more precise as a claim about plants absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. Aim for accurate, natural combinations of words and avoid repeating “people” and “important” where more specific terms would clarify your meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “which” and “as,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction occur across the response. For example, “which lead to decrease” needs a correctly formed verb and article, while “Plants are use” should use a passive verb form. In “animals are also a living creatures,” the article and plural noun do not agree. Some long sentences, particularly the opening of the second paragraph, are difficult to parse because clauses are joined without a clear grammatical structure. Practise building accurate complex sentences and check subject–verb agreement, articles and verb forms during revision.

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