Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-03

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 5.0)

I think that there are more important environmental problems rather than the loss of particular species of plants and animals.

Most of the environmental problems are because of human beings. One of the main environmental problem was global warming. Global warming is due to release of green house gases. Green house gases comes from the refrigerator, air conditioner, untreated chemicals and gases from industries which are being used by human being. Depletion of ozone layer is of global warming. And another environmental problem is less rainfall. This is because of deforestation. Deforestation is also done by human being. We cut down the trees to construct buildings which affects the environment. Due to less rainfall, the farmers are worried about their agricultural lands. If we are talking about the environmental problems, we have many of that to discuss.

Let us go back in time where the dinosaurs lived. But later that species have totally disappeared. Likewise we have lost many species before even human have formed. But that didn't affect anything in the environment. Their presence and the absence didn't affect the environment and surroundings. Humans were dominating all the species now.

I would like to conclude that human beings are the reason for the environmental problems. I think if we disppeared from the world, the environment will be saved. I totally disagree that the main environmental problem is the loss of species. Our environment faces a lot of problems than this. I will not say it is okay in losing the species. We should protect those precious plants and animals. But that is not the main problem to consider as of today's environmental conditions.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is clear: you argue that problems such as global warming and deforestation are more important than species loss, and you acknowledge that endangered plants and animals should still be protected. However, the task asks you to discuss both views, and the case for species loss is not meaningfully explained. The dinosaur example mainly claims that past extinctions did not affect the environment, without support, and does not show why people consider current species loss a major problem. Your discussion of other environmental issues is also broad: for example, you mention greenhouse gases and reduced rainfall but do not explain their wider consequences in enough detail. Develop both sides with specific reasons and examples, then make your comparison more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an opening position, a paragraph on environmental problems, a paragraph about species loss, and a conclusion. Some linking phrases, such as “Likewise” and “I would like to conclude,” help signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is limited and connections are sometimes unclear. The paragraph beginning “Most of the environmental problems” moves quickly from global warming to ozone depletion, rainfall, and farming without showing how these points relate or which are most important. “Let us go back in time” also creates an abrupt shift, while “If we are talking about the environmental problems, we have many of that to discuss” does not advance the argument. Group related points, use clearer references, and make each paragraph develop one central idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the general subject, including “global warming,” “greenhouse gases,” “deforestation,” “agricultural lands,” and “species.” There are also attempts at more specific environmental language, such as “depletion of ozone layer.” However, the range is limited by repeated general words such as “problem,” “environment,” and “human beings,” and some combinations are imprecise or unnatural. For instance, “less rainfall” and “the farmers are worried” express the point simply but do not describe the environmental impact precisely. Spelling and word-form slips, including “disppeared” and the repeated two-word spelling “green house,” also reduce accuracy. Build a wider set of precise terms and check common collocations and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use mostly straightforward sentence patterns, with some attempts to connect ideas through clauses, as in “Due to less rainfall, the farmers are worried about their agricultural lands.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. Examples include “One of the main environmental problem was,” where the noun form and tense do not fit, and “Green house gases comes,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect. “Depletion of ozone layer is of global warming” is also difficult to interpret because the sentence structure does not express the intended relationship. There are problems with articles, plurals, and verb forms in other places too. Practise accurate complex sentences and review agreement, articles, and tense consistency.

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