Cambridge IELTS 14 · Academic · Test 2 · Discuss both views
Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Sample Answer
The question, a plan, a Band 7.5 sample answer written by IELTS 9, why it scores that band on the 4 criteria, and the mistake most candidates make on this prompt.
Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 · Writing Task 2
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.
Write at least 250 words. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
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- Introduce both views and a partial-agreement position
- Case for species loss: ecosystems, irreversibility, medicine
- Case for other problems: climate, pollution, freshwater, political priorities
- Own view: species loss is a symptom of root causes
- Conclusion
Band 7.5 sample answer (312 words)
Written by IELTS 9 to the Band 7.5 descriptors, not the book's own answer and not scored by an examiner. Use it for structure and language, then write your own.
Environmental concerns are numerous, and opinions differ over which deserves priority. While some people claim that the disappearance of particular plant and animal species is the defining problem of our era, others believe that more urgent threats exist. I partly agree with the first group, but I think species loss is best understood as a symptom of wider damage.
Those who prioritise extinction have a strong case. Every species plays a role in its ecosystem, and when one vanishes, the effects can spread unpredictably. The decline of bees, for example, endangers the pollination of crops on which millions depend. Extinction is also irreversible: a polluted river can be cleaned over time, but a lost species can never be recovered. In addition, many undiscovered plants may hold the key to future medicines, so each loss narrows humanity's options.
On the other hand, critics argue that issues such as climate change, air and water pollution, and the depletion of freshwater affect far more people directly. Rising temperatures threaten coastal cities with flooding and make harvests less reliable, while toxic air in major urban centres shortens lives every year. Because these problems have immediate human consequences, governments tend to find it easier to justify spending on them than on protecting an obscure insect or orchid.
In my opinion, however, treating these concerns as rivals is misleading. Most species vanish because their habitats are destroyed by deforestation, warming oceans or chemical contamination, which means that tackling those root causes is the most effective way to save wildlife. Conversely, healthy ecosystems absorb carbon and filter water, so protecting biodiversity helps to solve the other problems as well.
In conclusion, although the loss of species is deeply alarming, I do not regard it as the single main environmental problem. It is better seen as an indicator of broader ecological decline, and policies should address the underlying causes together.
Why this answer scores Band 7.5
- Task Response: Both views are discussed with examples, and the opinion that species loss is a symptom of wider damage is clear and consistent through the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion: The 'On the other hand' and 'however' transitions frame the debate, and the final paragraph returns to the thesis introduced at the start.
- Lexical Resource: Environmental vocabulary such as 'pollination', 'habitats', 'biodiversity' and 'ecological decline' is used accurately and not repeated excessively.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Colon use, passive forms ('are destroyed by'), 'Because' clauses and a relative clause ('on which millions depend') demonstrate controlled variety.
Useful vocabulary
Common mistake on this question
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