Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22

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)

In this current era of scientific and technological progress, we find ourselves in the modern world, where dealing with different kind of environmental problems and loss of different species of plants and animals is a big deal and a matter of fact. It is crucial that different people have different perceptions and levels of intelligence regarding environmental problems.

From my perspective, there are various view points to consider. First and foremost, uncontrolled heavy traffic with heavy engines of automobiles that spread smoke all the day not only polluted our environment but also harmful for the humans, animals and plants. They destroy our ecosystem very calmly. Smoke from the heavy industries not only polluted the environment but also cause some harmful disease like tuberculosis and other kind of lungs and cardiovascular diseases. Throwing of waste materials of the houses into stream and water is also a biggest problem of polluted environment that not only destroy the habitat but also plants and animals. Moreover all these factors have a distinct effects on environmental problems.

Furthermore, most people considered that heavy vehicles are means of transportation of materials from one place to other. People carry their luggage and other products from one city to the other through transport system. People also earn their livelihood and support their children and family by working day and night in heavy industries. In addition, Government have paid attention not only gravity of the given matter but also have taken some relevant steps to ensure positive outcomes.

In conclusion, taking these points into consideration, from a personal point of view , I am inclined to believe that solving environmental problems have a big challenge and have a positive effects on life of all.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt but fails to engage with the core debate: the loss of species versus other environmental issues. Instead of discussing the loss of biodiversity, the essay focuses almost exclusively on pollution from traffic and industry. The prompt specifically asks to discuss the view that species loss is the 'main' problem, but this is largely ignored. Furthermore, the student's own opinion is not clearly articulated or supported; the conclusion is vague and does not directly answer the question of which problem is more significant. The ideas are under-developed and lack a clear focus on the specific comparison requested by the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. While some cohesive devices are used (e.g., 'First and foremost', 'Furthermore', 'In conclusion'), they are often used mechanically or to connect ideas that do not follow a clear argumentative path. The transition between the discussion of pollution and the mention of transportation benefits is abrupt and lacks a clear thematic link. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall structure feels disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the writer's line of reasoning throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'big deal', 'matter of fact', and 'different kind of' are informal or imprecise. There is a lack of topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental science or biodiversity. While the student attempts to use some academic terms like 'cardiovascular' and 'ecosystem', these are often used in contexts that lack precision. The range is sufficient to convey basic meaning, but it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands. Errors in word choice, such as 'distinct effects' instead of 'distinctive' or 'significant', are noticeable.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Government have paid', 'solving environmental problems have a big challenge') and article usage. Some sentences are awkward or grammatically incomplete, such as 'Smoke from the heavy industries not only polluted the environment but also cause some harmful disease'. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and pluralization, prevents the essay from reaching a higher band.

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

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