Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-28
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 disappearing of some species of plants and animals is the alarming condition regarding environmental protection. Some individuals believe that extinction of some species of plants and animals is the main cause of the environmental issue. Others have different views, and according to them, there are many other environmental problems. I shall discuss both views and give my argument regarding this.
Firstly, one group has a view that a decline in the population of particular types of animals and plants causes a major environmental problem. A decline in any specific species of fauna and flora creates a gap in the whole environmental cycle. The disturbance in the food cycle of any creature by the escape of any particular species leads to environmental issues. To strengthen their argument, cite the example of the extinction of deer from African forests, which led to a starvation condition of many creatures, like lions, by which the whole environmental system was disturbed. That condition converted to a decline in the population of lions and an increase in the population of buffaloes, by which the whole environmental system of the forest was disturbed.
On the other hand, critics' points of view tell different opinions. There are many environmental problems, not just the loss of any species. According to them, loss of any creature is the effect of environmental problems, not the actual problem. They gave an example to strengthen their point, as in the forest of South America, some species died due to polluted water in the forest, which came from nearby factories. Polluted water is the environmental issue, as the loss of some particular species is the indirect problem.
In conclusion, even though the decline of some biodiversity is a loss to the environment, we should focus on the main causes by which this indirect problem occurs.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the task. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide examples, such as the deer in African forests and the pollution in South American forests, the analysis remains relatively superficial. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the implications of these environmental problems more deeply. Your position is clear in the introduction and conclusion, but the overall argument could be more robustly supported with more sophisticated reasoning regarding why one perspective might be more pressing than the other.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally repetitive (e.g., repeating 'the whole environmental system was disturbed' twice in the same paragraph). To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between ideas is smoother. The logical progression is present, but it lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fauna and flora', 'biodiversity', and 'extinction'. However, there are instances of awkward word choices and phrasing, such as 'starvation condition' instead of 'starvation' or 'famine', and 'escape of any particular species' which is unclear. Some collocations are unnatural, such as 'critics' points of view tell different opinions'. To improve, focus on using more precise vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are contextually appropriate. Expanding your range of academic collocations would significantly enhance your score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'The disappearing of some species' (should be 'The disappearance'), 'cite the example' (missing subject 'we can cite'), and 'That condition converted to a decline' (should be 'led to'). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentence structures are clunky. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence forms and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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