Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-08
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)
As far as environmental problems are concerned, different people analyze them differently. Some people gives value to the plants and animals which are exstinct or going to be exstinct, others consider the root cause to the other factors. All the opinions are right on their behalves.
The people who believe that the environmental problems are due to the loss of particular species of plants and animals, consider the nature as it is conservative. For example, in Australia, the population of camels increased drastically causing deficiency of drinking water in the environment for other animals. It leads toward the extinction of other animals like rabbits which affected to grow different hays in the cultivating land. All these changes affected the environment negatively. After a long while, it is observed that camel has no origin history from Australia as it is imported by the people of Australia from Gulf regions.
The people who have other opinions regarding environmental problems say that industrialization and urbanization are the main factors in disturbing our natural environment. Heavy traffics, crowded areas, congested living style, industrial wastes and other relevant factors induce different types of pollutions including air pollution, soil pollution, water contamination etc. These factors leads toward health issues in the people as well as in the animals. When communities are affected, the go towards shortcuts just to getting ride from the factors, and thus, cause disturbance in the environment.
In my opinion, the people who considers the factors other than the loss of particular species of animals and plants have more powerful logic and I will always support this kind of thinking.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. The example regarding camels in Australia is confusing and does not clearly illustrate the 'loss of species' argument; instead, it focuses on an invasive species issue. The second body paragraph regarding industrialization is more relevant but lacks depth in explaining why this is a 'more important' problem compared to biodiversity loss. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To reach a higher band, you should provide more logical connections between your examples and the core environmental issues discussed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly unnatural. For instance, phrases like 'All the opinions are right on their behalves' and 'The people who have other opinions' are somewhat repetitive. The transition between the example of the camels and the broader environmental argument is disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel a bit forced. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph flows logically into the next would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'exstinct' (spelling error: extinct), 'conservative' (used incorrectly to mean 'conserving nature'), and 'getting ride from' (should be 'getting rid of'). These errors occasionally distract the reader. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'industrialization' and 'urbanization', the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on learning collocations and ensuring that words are used in their correct context rather than relying on direct translations or slightly misused terms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('Some people gives', 'camel has no origin history'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing ('affected to grow different hays'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence forms and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips. Proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would be a great starting point for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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