Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-02

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 6.0)

The ongoing debate is whether the loss of certain species of plants and animals is the main environmental issue or whether there are environmental issues that are more important. Although both the statements have merits, I believe that loss of certain species isn't the main environmental issue. It would be the impact that environmental degradation creates on human lives.

On the one hand, there are people who think that the severe issue is that we are losing specific types of plants and animals, and they may be right in their tracks. Furthermore, governments can provide suitable environments to protect these species from becoming extinct. For instance, the governing bodies can either migrate them to a suitable environment or provide trained people who can help them survive.

On the other hand, there are more important problems to deal with, such as the impact the environmental problems will create for people in the future. Pakistan does not emit more than its fair share of carbon emissions, yet its glaciers are melting at a rapid rate. According to the World Bank, Pakistan could submerge into water by 2050 if they do not resolve the environmental issues. One cannot state that a specific species is more important than a whole nation. The immediate threat Pakistan is facing is not from other countries but from the environment itself.

In my opinion, environmental issues create problems for many people in the world. Particularly in the subcontinent, where people are suffering from high AQI levels. The fact that the air they breathe in is hazardous to their bodies and, subsequently, can lead to disease and death.

In conclusion, people who believe that saving species from extinction should be the main concern of a government could be right, but I believe the main focus should be on resolving environmental problems to lessen the impact it would create on human lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and state a clear position: species loss matters, but you consider the effects of environmental degradation on people more important. The Pakistan example gives your argument a relevant, concrete focus, and the conclusion returns to your central view. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The species-protection paragraph mainly suggests relocating animals or providing trained staff; it does not explain why biodiversity loss is considered a major environmental threat or explore its wider consequences. The claim that Pakistan could be submerged by 2050 also needs clearer explanation or careful qualification. Develop the reasoning behind each view and connect examples explicitly to the environmental problems being compared.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, your opinion, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion. However, some connections are mechanical, and the progression within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the Pakistan example moves from emissions to melting glaciers and then to submergence without fully explaining the links between these points. The opinion paragraph also begins with a broad statement and then shifts to air pollution without clearly relating it to the earlier comparison. Use clearer transitions between claims and examples, and make references such as “they” and “it” more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “species,” “extinct,” “carbon emissions,” “glaciers,” and “hazardous,” which makes the environmental focus clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “environmental degradation” and “immediate threat.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “right in their tracks” does not express the intended idea, and “migrate them to a suitable environment” is an awkward way to describe moving species. Repetition of “environmental issues/problems” also limits precision. Aim for more natural collocations and use specific terms for the problems discussed, such as biodiversity loss, habitat protection, air pollution, or climate-related risks.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a concession in “Although both the statements have merits” and a conditional clause in “if they do not resolve the environmental issues.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and sentence-boundary problems are present. “The fact that the air they breathe in is hazardous to their bodies and, subsequently, can lead to disease and death” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence. In “the impact it would create,” the pronoun reference is unclear, and “Pakistan could submerge” does not use the appropriate grammatical form for the intended meaning. Review complete sentence construction, pronoun reference, and verb patterns, while continuing to use varied sentence forms.

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.