Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-21
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)
Some people believe that the extinction of certain species of plants and animals is one of the most popular issues in the world. Others say that there are other important issues, like climate change, pollution, and deforestation are very common problems. In this essay, we will discuss both points and explain the broader problem of solving environmental issues.
On the one hand, the main problem is the extinction of plant species and animals; you know that species are important because they help develop and balance the ecosystem. In that way, species can destroy it, disturb the food chain, and hurt the lives of living organisms. In addition, biodiversity can also be disturbed in some field likr in medicine, agriculture, and many other fields. For example, medicine can use plants for their development, and agriculture can use them as well; farmers can use wood to cook food. These facilities are unavailable; therefore, you cannot reach the exact location of this source.
On the other hand, the few other individuals believe that there are other important environmental issues to change the climate, pollution, and deforestation. Global warming can raise the water level and cause other weather events and the disturbance of the ecosystem. Deforestation is another problem that can destroy the climate system. For example, air pollution can affect human health and other wild animals. In my opinion, environmental issues can face a lot of challenges, including the large problem of the extinction of plants and animals. Solving these two problems, it is most beneficial for humans and other living organisms. In conclusion, the main problem is the destruction of two species: plants and animals. I believe that there are many other problems, like climate change, pollution, and deforestation. But you can mainly work on protecting the plants and ensuring a secure future.
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 all parts of the task by discussing both views—the loss of species versus other environmental problems—and providing a personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and occasionally unclear. For instance, the discussion on how species loss impacts medicine and agriculture is underdeveloped, and sentences like "These facilities are unavailable; therefore, you cannot reach the exact location of this source" are confusing and lack clarity. The position is stated, but the arguments could be extended and supported with more specific examples. Consequently, this performance aligns best with Band 5.5 to 6.0, fitting into the Band 6 descriptor where relevant ideas are present but some are under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay has a clear overall structure with four paragraphs, attempting to use standard argumentative transitions such as "On the one hand," "On the other hand," and "In conclusion." However, cohesion is frequently faulty or mechanical. For example, referencing is sometimes unclear, as seen in the phrase "These facilities are unavailable," which disconnects from the preceding discussion on plants and animals. Additionally, the progression in the second body paragraph falters as the ideas shift abruptly from ecosystems to medicine, agriculture, and wood for cooking without smooth transitional links. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for a task of this type, earning it a solid Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms such as "extinction," "ecosystem," "biodiversity," "global warming," and "deforestation." However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as calling species extinction "one of the most popular issues" instead of pressing or prominent, and referring to a field as "some field likr in medicine." Spelling errors like "likr" also occur. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the general message, these errors and limitations prevent the response from achieving a higher band, placing it firmly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures. However, grammatical errors and awkward phrasing frequently appear, particularly in complex sentences. For instance, "environmental issues can face a lot of challenges, including the large problem of the extinction of plants and animals" is semantically awkward, and "Solving these two problems, it is most beneficial" contains a dangling modifier. Punctuation and grammatical slips occur throughout the text, though they rarely impede overall communication. The presence of these recurrent errors alongside a mix of structures points directly to a Band 6 level of grammatical accuracy.
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