Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

A group of people carry an opinion that the most vital environmental problem of current times is that many species of plants and animals are becoming extinct. Others argue that there are more significant environmental challenges than these.

Believing in the fact that loss of species of plants and animals is a major environmental problem is correct as every thing which has an existence in this universe has a purpose, for example sparrows eat insects in fields which prevent the crops from getting destroyed but these days due to lack of sparrows the crops are no more safe from insects. Accordingly, the plants also carry a purpose many of the plants are habitats for animals and in result of their extinction animals have to move to places that are not suited for their survival. Moreover, mangrove trees are also getting extinct which in return has increased the chances of urban flooding.

Nevertheless, other environmental problems are also significant as they account for the survival of entire human population. For example global warming has caused the glaciers to melt which increases the sea level increasing the risk of flooding. In addition, the industrial waste such as toxic chemicals which are dumped in to oceans causes the deaths of thousands of marine animals annually. Moreover, the harmful gases from industries pollutes the air which then becomes injurious to human health.

In my opinion all environmental issues should be given equal importance and necessary steps should be taken to reduce the negative impacts they cause.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide examples like sparrows and mangrove trees, the explanation of why these are the 'main' problem compared to others could be more deeply explored. The discussion of global warming and industrial waste is relevant but remains at a surface level. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are fully extended with more nuanced reasoning rather than just listing examples. Your position is consistent, but the depth of analysis is the primary area for improvement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Nevertheless', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition from the sparrow example to the mangrove tree example is abrupt. Improving the use of referencing and varying your cohesive devices would help the text flow more naturally. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, but the management of cohesion could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'extinct', 'urban flooding', and 'injurious'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices or phrasing, such as 'carry an opinion' instead of 'hold an opinion' and 'in result of their extinction' instead of 'as a result of their extinction'. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. To improve, focus on learning collocations and more academic synonyms for common verbs and nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'every thing which has an existence' (wordy/unnatural), 'crops are no more safe' (should be 'no longer safe'), and 'pollutes the air' (subject-verb agreement error: 'gases... pollute'). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentences are slightly run-on. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and refining your complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but the frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.