Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-14
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)
Environmental problems have become a major issue across the globe. Some people believe that loss of plant and animal species is the prime concern while others argue that problems like pollution and climate change deserve more attention. This essay will discuss both views before citing my opinion.
On the one side, number of population believes that preserving plant and animal species should be main focus for environment sustainability because absence of even one species of plants and animals will disturb the food and life cycle of other living beings and various types of medicines are generated by using numerous species of plants. For example, absence of bees with greatly affect the agricultural output across many regions.
On the other side, people also argue that issues such as rising pollution and change of climate should receive prime attention because air and water pollution affects not only humans but also plants and animals and climate change like rising temperature has a major impact on survival the survival of humans and all the other living beings. As a result, people identify this as a root cause.
In my opinion, although particular species of plants and animals have importance in the natural system but problems like climate change and rising pollution is a more worrying concept.
In conclusion, as both the views are discussed, I believe that aforementioned points totally support my opinion.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which significantly limits the depth of the discussion. The ideas are presented but remain underdeveloped; for instance, the point about bees is a good start but lacks sufficient elaboration to fully explore the consequences of species loss. Similarly, the discussion on climate change is somewhat generic. To achieve a higher band, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and specific examples to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more thorough exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the two body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'On the one side', 'On the other side'). Additionally, the transition between the body paragraphs and the conclusion is abrupt. The final sentence, 'I believe that aforementioned points totally support my opinion', is vague and does not effectively synthesize the arguments presented. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'major issue', 'prime concern', and 'worrying concept'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'number of population' instead of 'a segment of the population' or 'many people'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental science, such as 'biodiversity loss', 'ecological equilibrium', or 'anthropogenic climate change', and ensure that your word choices are more natural and precise.
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 hinder clarity. For example, 'absence of even one species... will disturb' lacks an article, and 'change of climate' should be 'climate change'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement, such as 'problems like climate change and rising pollution is a more worrying concept' (should be 'are'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and article usage prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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