Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-12

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)

Nowadays, environmental problems have become a topic of concern. Some believe that, it is because of the endangered species of plants and animals, but from my perspective, there are multiple and more reliable reasons behind it.

On the one hand, the considerable environmental issue is the loss of particular species. Ultimately, some plants and animals are on the verge of extinction, which really hampers our ecosystem and biodiversity. For example, birds like vultures and kites are known as "natural cleaners". Additionally, by consuming animal carcasses, they prevent the spread of diseases to other animals as well as humans. Furthermore, plants play a crucial role to provide oxygen for living species. For instance, during a day plants generate oxygenation process , which provides fresh air to humans.

On the other hand, man-made problems are more responsible for nature. One of the most important factors is a pollution and deforestation. To elaborate, industrial advancements and vehicle dependency have resulted in air pollution and humidity. Land pollution is also a non-neglactable topic. Poor waste management and non-biodegradable wastes such as - plastics and glass materials are responsible for land erossions. Moving further, deforestation as well as household equipments like air conditioners and refrigerators are responsible for increased temprature, which eventually affects ozone layer- a layer that protect earth from harsh sun rays and degradation of it results in global warming.

Though, multiple factors are responsible for endangered species, extinction is a natural phenomenon. So, human developed reasons and factors are more reponsible for environmental problems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the importance of biodiversity and the impact of pollution, the arguments could be more thoroughly extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis. For instance, the explanation of how 'natural cleaners' function is good, but the link between human-made pollution and the ozone layer is slightly confused, as deforestation and household appliances are not the primary drivers of ozone depletion. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting points are scientifically accurate and fully explored to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through your arguments. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. For example, the final paragraph is quite brief and feels somewhat disconnected from the previous points. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph has a strong concluding sentence would help create a more cohesive and professional structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'biodiversity', 'extinction', and 'non-biodegradable'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and spelling errors, such as 'oxygenation process' (which is not used correctly here), 'non-neglactable', 'erossions', and 'temprature'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on learning the correct collocations and spelling of technical terms related to environmental science, and try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary to express your ideas with greater nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include incorrect article usage (e.g., 'a pollution'), subject-verb agreement, and punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary hyphen in 'ozone layer- a layer'. Some sentences are also slightly fragmented or awkward in their construction. While your meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with articles and pluralization, and practice constructing more complex sentences with greater control.

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