Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-13

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)

It is evident that enviromental issue are becoming increasingly serious. While some people argue that the loss of plants and animals are the cruical problems, but others argue that the enviromental problems. I believe the both problems beacuse that's are the rare promblem in todays world.I think climate chnage and pollution are more fundamental threats.

Species loss is the main problem, Those who focus on the biodiversity los argue that every species has a key function in the ecosystem. When one species disappears, it can produce a chain reaction that modifies the entire food web. For example, the decline of bees prevents proper pollination, which degrades crop production and food security. Moreover, many medicines are derived from plants, so losing species could prevent future medical discoveries. From this perspective, protecting wildlife is no longer just about conservation, it is about human survival.

On the other hand, other problems are more important. However, i believe that problems such as climate change, air pollution and degration of natral resources are more urgent. These issues affect billions of people directly. Implementation of policies to reduce carbon emission is fundamental because rising tempreatures produce floods, droughts and heatwaves. Similarly, plastic pollution enhance the risk of health problems. While species loss is serious, it is often a result of these larger problems. Therefore, if we implement solutions for pollution and global warming, we can also safeguard species as a result.

In conclusion, although the loss of species is alarming, I am of the opinion that climate chnage and pollution pose a more immediate danger. Once these major problems are addressed, biodiversity can no longer be ignored and will tend to recover naturally.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—the importance of preserving specific plant and animal species and the greater significance of broader environmental issues like climate change and pollution—while presenting a clear personal position throughout. In the introduction, the writer states that climate change and pollution are more fundamental threats. The body paragraphs are adequately developed, discussing the ecological and medical importance of biodiversity loss in the second paragraph, and contrasting it with the immediate and widespread dangers of climate change and pollution in the third paragraph. Although some sentences in the opening paragraph are slightly unclear or contain grammatical confusion, the main ideas are successfully conveyed and supported with logical reasoning and examples, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a clear overall progression and is divided into logical paragraphs with distinct functions: an introduction, a body paragraph on species loss, a body paragraph on broader issues, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal relationships between ideas, such as 'For example', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, there are some noticeable cohesive faults and awkward transitions, particularly in the introduction where sentences like 'While some people argue that the loss of plants and animals are the cruical problems, but others argue that the enviromental problems' create mechanical cohesion issues. Referencing is occasionally slightly unclear, but the overall logical arrangement remains intact, supporting a Band 6 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'biodiversity', 'ecosystem', 'food web', 'pollination', 'conservation', and 'carbon emission'. However, there are numerous spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, including 'enviromental', 'issue', 'cruical', 'beacuse', 'chnage', 'degration', 'natral', 'enhance' instead of 'increases', and 'tempreatures'. While these lexical errors and misspellings occur frequently, they do not severely impede communication because the context remains clear. This performance sits comfortably within the Band 5 to Band 6 range, leaning slightly towards Band 6 due to the successful attempt at less common lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing subordinate clauses such as 'When one species disappears, it can produce a chain reaction' and 'While species loss is serious, it is often a result of these larger problems'. However, control over grammar and sentence structure is inconsistent. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('enviromental issue are', 'loss of plants and animals are'), incorrect use of coordinating conjunctions ('While... but...'), and ungrammatical constructions ('I believe the both problems beacuse that's are the rare promblem'). Punctuation errors also occur, such as lowercase 'i'. Because these frequent errors cause occasional difficulty for the reader and prevent error-free sentences from dominating, the grammar fits the Band 5 profile.

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