Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-25

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)

Nowadays, there as been ongoing debate about, many individuals believe that our surroundings are getting affected by loss of particular species of plants and animals. However, many folks counter that by saying there are major problems than this which causes environmental damage. Both the views and my opinion is discussed further.

In the recent era we have witnessed so many extinction of plants and animals. One of the major impact on society can be disturbance of food chain, all the living things are connected with each other in food chain, if a plant or animal get extinct there might be turbulence in our environment. For instance, in plants, many plants have nature to grow near some tree or some plants if we get extinct of that particular species than we might loose some plants with it. Similar with animals, lion is more likely to feed on deer or pig if this species get to extinct than our food chain will be highly disturbed.

Nevertheless, to counter this many individuals believe that there are many other factors which is affecting our surroundings. First could be pollution, the increasing factories and mills are one of the major reasons for pollution. Furthermore, use of non-recyclable products such as plastic water bottles, bags, and many more products which are made of plastic or non-recyclable materials. This could be major cause of environmental problems.

In my opinion, a loss of particular species of plants or animals does not affect our surroundings, there are so many other reasons behind environmental problems.

To conclude, a extinction of species can affect our environment but we have major problems to tackle so, this could be one of the problem but cannot be the only problem which is affecting environment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides an opinion, but the development is inconsistent. While you identify the importance of biodiversity and mention pollution as an alternative, the arguments are somewhat superficial. For instance, the explanation of the food chain is repetitive and lacks specific, well-developed examples. Furthermore, your opinion in the conclusion contradicts the earlier body paragraphs by stating that species loss does not affect the environment, which creates confusion regarding your stance. To improve, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, logical extension of your main argument with more precise supporting evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often mechanical. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'In conclusion', but the logical progression within paragraphs is weak. For example, the transition between the discussion of the food chain and the mention of pollution is abrupt. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, such as 'Similar with animals, lion is more likely to feed on deer or pig if this species get to extinct than our food chain will be highly disturbed.' Improving the use of referencing and linking words would help create a smoother, more coherent argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'environmental problems' and 'surroundings'. There are also several word-choice errors, such as 'get to extinct' instead of 'become extinct' and 'nature to grow' instead of 'tendency to grow'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is a lack of flexibility in expressing complex ideas. Expanding your range of collocations and academic terminology would significantly enhance your score.

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 impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('there as been', 'this species get to extinct'), article usage ('the food chain' vs 'a food chain'), and awkward phrasing ('if we get extinct of that particular species'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma splices. While the meaning is usually understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and pluralization.

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