Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

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)

The growing influence of environmental problems has sparked various debates. This issue is particularly significant because its impact affects both individuals and communities in multiple ways. In this essay, I will discuss different aspects related to particular species of plants and animals. In my opinion, protecting plants and animals is very important for a healthy society.

*Body Paragraph 1*

On one hand, many people do not grow plants. Pollution harms plants and humans. Some areas do not provide enough water, so plants cannot grow and produce food. The main reason for this problem is waste and garbage. Some people believe that city life with traffic and other opportunities is more important, so they ignore the environment. The government should provide facilities and take action because pollution has a bad impact on humans. The Pakistani government should recommend people to grow more plants.

*Body Paragraph 2*

On the other hand, animals are also important for the environment. A healthy life is very important. In my opinion, humans should grow plants and provide vaccination to animals. The effectiveness of this depends on how it is managed by society. Values and beliefs related to government providing vaccination to plants and animals for their health may sometimes lead to misunderstanding and conflict. Various studies have shown that the main problem is pollution and not growing plants. Some animals provide benefits. People use meat from some animals and earn money from them. Plants provide oxygen and support a healthy life.

However, despite the benefits, animals can also cause pollution. If people do not provide vaccination and animals die, it can lead to significant challenges. Animals are important for the environment. Some animals provide milk, and milk is very important for human health.

*Conclusion*

In conclusion, both plants and animals play a vital role in our lives. To solve environmental problems, the government and people should work together. We should grow more plants, reduce pollution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt but struggles to maintain a clear focus on the specific debate regarding the 'loss of species' versus 'other environmental problems'. While you mention that pollution is a major issue, the argument lacks depth. The discussion regarding 'vaccination for plants' is factually confusing and irrelevant to the core environmental debate, which suggests a misunderstanding of the task requirements. Your position is stated in the introduction, but the supporting arguments are often disjointed and do not fully explore the two sides of the argument as requested. To improve, ensure each paragraph directly addresses one side of the prompt with clear, logical supporting evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas within them is often illogical. For example, the transition from discussing pollution to 'vaccination for plants' in the second paragraph is abrupt and confusing. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On one hand' and 'In conclusion', but they are sometimes applied mechanically or to link unrelated ideas. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow your line of reasoning. Improving the logical flow between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph focuses on a single, coherent theme would significantly enhance the clarity of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'very important' and 'provide'. There are also instances of awkward word choices, such as 'provide vaccination to plants', which is not a standard collocation. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary related to environmental science, such as 'biodiversity', 'ecosystem degradation', or 'mitigation strategies', and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'The Pakistani government should recommend people to grow more plants'). While these errors rarely prevent the reader from understanding the general meaning, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency of the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles or incorrect verb forms. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy will also help raise your score.

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

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