Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-10

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 5.0)

In modern times, we are losing particular species of plants and animals, which is considered the main environmental problem by some people, while others say there are more important environmental problems that exist. Environmental factors are mainly affecting marine life and agriculture, which need clear attention; additionally, they are harming human life too. From my point of view, both aspects are important and need to be addressed, because the loss of plants and animals has negative effects on human lives.

For instance, marine life is the main target of environmental factors in animals, because most of the waste drainage opens into the sea and oceans, and the chemicals in them are either killing or harming them. Similarly, when household or industrial waste reaches agricultural areas, it causes severe harm to both plants and soil, as the radioactive materials react with other elements in soils and disturb the normal condition of soil, which in turn damages the plant completely or makes it weak. Combining both results in

Along with the loss of plants and animals, other environmental impacts include damage to the ozone layer and human life, which is suffering due to various factors and needs attention. Industrial pollutoin is the main reason for these factors, which

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies both views and gives a personal position: “both aspects are important,” with the loss of species linked to effects on people. It also offers relevant examples involving marine waste and damage to agricultural land. However, the discussion is only partial: the alternative view is introduced but not explained in enough detail, and the essay ends mid-sentence (“Combining both results in” and “which”), leaving the argument and conclusion incomplete. The response also falls 44 words short of the required minimum, which limits the opportunity to develop reasons and examples. To strengthen the answer, explain why other environmental problems may be more serious, develop your comparison, and finish with a clear conclusion that directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is an attempt to organise the response into an introduction and body paragraphs, and linking expressions such as “For instance,” “Similarly,” and “Along with” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the progression is difficult to follow because the first body paragraph combines marine pollution and agricultural damage without completing its point; “Combining both results in” is left unfinished. The next paragraph also stops after “which,” so there is no completed development or conclusion. Some connections are unclear, particularly the shift from species loss to ozone-layer damage and human health. Use one main idea per paragraph, explain how each example supports the relevant view, and add a concluding paragraph to create a complete line of argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses a reasonably varied set of topic-related vocabulary, including “marine life,” “industrial waste,” “agricultural areas,” “radioactive materials,” and “ozone layer.” These choices make the subject clear and show an effort to use more specific language than basic environmental terms. However, some expressions are imprecise or awkward, such as “environmental factors” for pollution sources and “the main target of environmental factors in animals.” “Waste drainage opens into the sea” is also an unnatural collocation, and “pollutoin” is misspelled. Aim for precise terms such as “pollutants,” “discharge,” and “species,” and check spelling and collocations. More accurate phrasing would make the ideas easier to understand.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mix of sentence forms, including complex clauses with “while,” “because,” and “which,” as in the opening sentence and the explanation of soil damage. Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but control becomes less secure in longer sentences. For example, “the chemicals in them are either killing or harming them” has unclear pronoun references, while “the plant completely or makes it weak” is not grammatically parallel. The final clauses beginning “Combining both results in” and “which” are incomplete, and the response has no finished concluding sentence. Practise completing each clause and checking that pronouns clearly refer to the intended noun. Shorter, well-controlled sentences alongside complex ones would improve accuracy and clarity.

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