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)

Differentiating views that primary enviromental issue of modern era is the extinction of particular species of plants and animals and there are more major issues related to enviroment.

Increased rate of pollution caused extinction of several species which were essential for our enviroment and is a major setback the loss of keystone species that can reshape an entire ecosystem. For instance, the decline of bee populations severely threatens global agriculture and food security because bees are essential for pollinating a vast majority of the crops humans rely on. Another major issue is that the loss is permenant Unlike other environmental issues that can theoretically be cleaned up or reversed, extinction is permanent. Once a species is gone, its unique genetic code and potential contributions to medicine or science are lost forever.

On the other hand many scientists and policymakers argue that treating species loss as the main problem addresses the symptom rather than the root cause. They point to overarching global crises that threaten all life on Earth simultaneously,climate change Rising global temperatures, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events threaten entire biomes, not just individual species. Climate change acts as a threat multiplier, accelerating biodiversity loss, melting polar ice caps, and depletion of recources risking human habitability and The overexploitation of freshwater aquifers and topsoil erosion directly threaten human survival and global stability within decades.

In conclusion, both perspectives highlight existential threats to our planet. However, I believe that climate change and global pollution are more critical problems because they are the driving forces behind mass extinction. If we only focus on protecting individual endangered species without fixing the destabilized climate and toxic environments they live in, their habitats will ultimately become unlivable anyway. Addressing global warming and systemic pollution is the only viable way to save both the earth's biodiversity and human civilization.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that species loss is the primary environmental problem and that other issues are more critical—while providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are adequately supported with examples, such as the decline of bee populations affecting global agriculture. However, the introduction is weak, lacking a clear statement of background and stance, and instead begins awkwardly with a fragment: "Differentiating views that primary enviromental issue...". Furthermore, some points, such as topsoil erosion, are mentioned briefly without full extension. Nonetheless, the overall task requirements are met with a well-developed argument in the body paragraphs and conclusion, aligning well with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear progression from the introduction through the two body paragraphs to the conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing viewpoints. However, cohesion is at times faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition "On the other hand many scientists..." lacks proper punctuation, and referencing can be clunky, such as "the loss is permenant Unlike other environmental issues..." where a semicolon or full stop is missing. Cohesive devices are employed, but sentence boundaries are occasionally blurred due to punctuation errors, placing this response firmly in the Band 6 territory.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as "keystone species," "ocean acidification," and "threat multiplier." However, there are notable spelling errors throughout the response, including "enviromental" and "permenant," as well as occasional issues with word choice and collocation, such as "depletion of recources risking human habitability and The overexploitation..." where capitalization and phrasing are awkward. These lexical errors do not seriously impede communication, but they prevent the writing from achieving a higher band score, making Band 6 an accurate reflection of the lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures effectively. However, there are frequent errors in punctuation and sentence structure. The opening sentence is a fragment rather than a complete clause. Run-on sentences and missing punctuation marks occur frequently, such as "simultaneously,climate change Rising global temperatures..." and "...habitability and The overexploitation..." While the writer attempts complex structures, the control over punctuation and minor grammatical mechanics is inconsistent, resulting in errors that occasionally distract the reader, consistent with the Band 6 descriptor.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.