Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-03

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 concurred by a few individuals that loss of species is the major environmental problem, while others believe that there are other environmental issues which are more important. Although both the views will be mentioned below, I believe that broader problems such as climate change, pollution and deforestation are currently more significant because they affect both humans and ecosystems.

Considering the reasons of those who believe that environmental problems are the major root cause of the extinction of some plants and animals, the substantial one might be imbalance ecosystem. This means that every species has a role in an ecosystem and when a species disappears, it affects the whole food chain in such a disruptive way. For example, If pollinating insects decline significantly, the reproduction of many plants and agricultural crops can be affected. Consequently, this can effect other plants and animals, eventually humans as they rely on them for food.

Neverheless,I side with those who support other environmental problem are equally responsible for this massive issue. One compelling reason is that pollution directly affects humans and natures,which implies that pollution create numerous problems for flora and fauna because air pollution contribute to respiratory problems, and plastic trash affects marine life. Apart from this, climate change is a more important environmental problem because it has widespread consequences for both humans and ecosystems.

Having considered the abovementioned information, it can be concluded that although main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals yet i believe that

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both views and stating a position, but it is limited and under-developed in several areas. Crucially, the length requirement is not met as the student's response contains 238 words, falling 12 words short of the 250-word minimum, with 16 words copied from the task prompt excluded from the count. While the introduction outlines the discussion and writer's view, the supporting arguments remain somewhat brief. For instance, the discussion on ecosystem imbalance lacks fully extended examples, and the essay breaks off abruptly in the final sentence, leaving the conclusion incomplete. To reach higher bands, the writer needs to fully develop all parts of the task with extended explanations and ensure the word count requirement is comfortably exceeded.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay displays some organization with a clear paragraph structure, starting with an introduction, body paragraphs for each view, and an attempted conclusion. However, there is no clear overall progression due to the abrupt ending and mechanical use of cohesive devices. Transitional phrases such as 'Considering the reasons of' and 'Having considered the abovementioned information' feel somewhat formulaic rather than naturally integrated. Furthermore, referencing can be unclear, such as in the third paragraph where 'other environmental problem' lacks precise grammatical agreement and logical connection. To improve Coherence and Cohesion, the writer should ensure smooth transitions between ideas, maintain a consistent logical flow throughout, and write a complete, satisfying conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating a minimally sufficient range to discuss environmental issues. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items, such as 'pollinating insects', 'respiratory problems', and 'marine life', which show an effort to engage with the topic. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices that detract from precision, such as 'imbalance ecosystem' instead of 'imbalanced ecosystem' or 'ecosystem imbalance', and the word form error 'effect' instead of 'affect' in the second paragraph. Spelling is generally acceptable, but these word-choice and word-form inaccuracies prevent the vocabulary score from rising higher. Using a wider variety of precise collocations and checking word classes carefully would strengthen this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures such as conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'when a species disappears, it affects the whole food chain'). However, attempts at complex sentences are frequently marred by errors, leading to a limited range of reliable structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement, articles, and prepositions inside patterns, such as 'support other environmental problem are equally responsible' and 'air pollution contribute'. Additionally, punctuation and sentence boundary issues appear, such as the comma splice in 'pollution directly affects humans and natures,which implies'. These frequent errors can occasionally cause difficulty for the reader and keep the grammar score at this level.

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

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