Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

While one school of thought believes that the most prominent environmental issue in our age is the loss of specific living organisms, the other school of thought argues that there are other environmental problems which are more important.This essay will discuss both the views before evaluating my own opinion.

An ecosystem is a setting where species co-exist and rely on one another for their survival.

A herbivore relies on plants for its food, while a carnivore relies on the herbivore for its survival. An extinction of one of the species of this life cycle could lead to the loss of other dependent species. For example, Deers taken away from a forest could lead to a scarcity of enough food for the tigers and lions and they could become extinct because of food deprivation. This could result in the loss an entire ecosystem dependent on one another. However the planet is dependent of this animal and plant ecosystem for its survival which makes it the most crucial process for the survival of the earth.

On the other hand, there are other environmental issues that are considerbly essential. Issues such as the release of carbon dioxide and other gasses in excess has led to the decrease in the air quality, in turn making breathing difficult. The main cause of this is the industrial waste and emmision of toxins. The increase in globalisation and industrialisation might have contributed in the growth of investions and research, however, they have led to overall polution and environmental causes. The contribution of these explanations together is the reason why i believe that both the reasons are equal contributors of environmental causes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a position in the final sentence: you consider species loss and pollution to be equally important. The explanation of food-chain dependence is relevant, and the example of predators losing prey helps illustrate why extinction matters. However, the discussion is uneven and the position is not fully established: the first view receives more explanation, while the second is mainly a list of emissions, poor air quality and industrial activity. The claim that both are equal is asserted rather than supported with a comparison or a clear reason. Develop each side with a specific consequence or example, then explain why your conclusion follows from that discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a concluding position, so the reader can identify its broad structure. Linking phrases such as “For example” and “On the other hand” also signal relationships between ideas. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the first paragraph moves from food chains to the broad claim that the ecosystem is essential without fully connecting the steps, while the second shifts from air quality to globalisation and research. The final sentence does not clearly summarise the discussion. Use topic sentences that state each paragraph’s main point, and connect examples explicitly to the argument. More precise referencing and a distinct conclusion would make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some topic-relevant vocabulary, including “ecosystem,” “extinct,” “carbon dioxide,” and “air quality,” and you attempt more formal expressions such as “prominent environmental issue.” However, the range is limited in places, and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, including “loss an entire ecosystem,” “dependent of this animal and plant ecosystem,” and “environmental causes.” Spelling errors such as “emmision,” “polution,” and “considerbly” also reduce accuracy. These issues do not prevent the general meaning from being understood, but they make parts of the argument less precise. Build a bank of accurate environmental collocations and check spelling and word forms during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional structure in “An extinction … could lead to the loss of other dependent species” and a contrast introduced by “while.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors recur in sentence construction, agreement, articles, and punctuation. For example, “Issues … are considerbly essential” has an incorrect verb form, and “The main cause of this is the industrial waste and emmision” does not maintain clear agreement or article use. The opening also runs two sentences together after “important.” Work on checking subject–verb agreement and sentence boundaries, and revise longer sentences to ensure each clause is grammatically complete. Greater control of these patterns would make your ideas clearer.

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