Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-18

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)

With regards to environmental problems people have different views. Some proponents argue that the loss of particular species of plats and animals is major environmental problems, while others believe that there are other important problems in the world. I strongly believe that the major problem is carbon combustion which can leads to life-threatening conditions. This essay will discuss both views and explain a few reasons to clarify my opinion.

People often argue that, due to environmental conditions some species of plants and animals are lost which is major problem because plants place an indispensable role to freshen the air and keep our environment eco-friendly. Due to lost of plants in revolutionized countries air become polluted, animals are also important for humanity as cow give milk which human take in their daily routine due to lost of animals now powdered milk is provide in well developed countries. For instance, older people spent healthy life because their diet was healthy. They take fresh milk and curd made from milk of cows. However,now young people get ill frequently due to usage of low quality of powdered milk.

On the other hand, i believe that the major environmental problem is carbon combustion which increased due to over crowded and traffic congestion. Now in revolutionized cities people use private vehicles instead of public transport. It enhances traffic congestion, consequently polluted air with dangerous gases. Human inhale those gases from environment and their lungs get affected. This is the major reason that more population is suffering from respiratory tract diseases like asthma. Another reason of increasing carbon combustion is invention of factories everywhere. The waste product of factories polluted air as well sea water. As a results creates infectious diseases like typhoid. For instance, in hospital high rate of cases are related to respiratory tract diseases, chest congestion and infectious diseases which are causes due to polluted environment.

In conclusion, while plants and animals are crucial for society, government should allocate money to freshen atmosphere and increase public transport. It will help to maintain healthy environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The argument regarding the loss of species is supported by rather simplistic examples, such as the comparison between fresh and powdered milk, which lacks academic depth. The second body paragraph regarding carbon combustion is more relevant and better developed, though it focuses heavily on health impacts rather than the broader environmental context. The position is clear throughout, but the supporting arguments would benefit from more sophisticated analysis to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the other hand', 'For instance', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Due to lost of plants in revolutionized countries air become polluted', where the connection between the loss of plants and the specific term 'revolutionized countries' is not logically explained. Paragraphing is present, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to improve overall coherence.

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 and grammatical errors related to word form, such as 'revolutionized countries' (likely meaning 'industrialized') and 'powdered milk is provide'. The phrase 'freshen the air' is somewhat informal. While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'carbon combustion', 'traffic congestion', and 'respiratory tract diseases', the overall range is limited, and the errors in collocation occasionally distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there is a high frequency of grammatical errors. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('cow give milk', 'air become polluted'), article usage ('in hospital high rate of cases'), and word form errors ('Due to lost of plants'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the persistent errors in basic grammar structures prevent the essay from achieving a higher score. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is necessary.

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