Cambridge IELTS 14 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Loss of Species
Cambridge IELTS 14 · Test 2 · Academic Writing Task 2Discuss both viewsEnvironment
The question presents two views: some people say the loss of particular species of plants and animals is the main environmental problem of our time, while others say there are more important environmental problems. Candidates must discuss both views and give their own opinion.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. 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.
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How to read the question
- This is a discussion essay: explain why some see species loss as the main problem, explain why others think other problems matter more, and give your own clear opinion.
- The key words are main environmental problem of our time, so the debate is about priority and seriousness today, not about whether species loss matters at all.
- The second view is open, so you must name specific alternative problems, such as climate change, air pollution, plastic waste or water shortages, rather than just saying other problems.
- Stay within environmental problems; economic or social issues such as poverty or unemployment are outside the scope of the question.
- A strong answer can show that the problems are connected, for example that climate change and habitat destruction are major causes of extinction, but it must still reach a clear position.
- Use concrete examples such as the decline of bees, the bleaching of coral reefs or extinct species like the dodo to support your arguments.
Suggested position
Although the loss of biodiversity is undeniably alarming, I would argue that climate change is the more fundamental problem, partly because it is itself one of the main causes of extinction.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase both views about whether species loss is the greatest environmental threat today, then state your position: climate change is more fundamental because it drives extinction.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: why species loss could be the main problem
Explain that extinction is irreversible, unlike pollution, and that ecosystems depend on relationships between species. Use the decline of bees and its threat to crop pollination to show that biodiversity loss affects human survival.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: why other problems may be more important
Explain that climate change and air pollution already cause droughts, floods, crop failures and millions of premature deaths, and that these problems also cause species loss, using the example of coral reefs dying because of warmer, more acidic oceans.
- 4
Conclusion
Give your opinion: the issues are linked, but climate change is the central challenge because it harms people directly and accelerates extinction, so tackling it alongside protecting habitats is the best approach.
Ideas and arguments
- Species loss: extinction is permanent, whereas polluted air, rivers and land can often be cleaned up.
- Species loss: ecosystems depend on complex food chains, so the disappearance of one species can affect many others.
- Species loss: pollinators such as bees are essential for many food crops, so their decline threatens food security.
- Species loss: plants and animals are a source of medicines and scientific knowledge that may be lost forever.
- Other problems: climate change causes heatwaves, droughts, floods and rising sea levels that affect millions of people.
- Other problems: air pollution is linked to millions of premature deaths every year, especially in large cities.
- Other problems: plastic waste and water scarcity threaten health and livelihoods in many regions.
- Link: climate change, deforestation and pollution are major causes of species loss, so solving them also protects biodiversity.
Band 8+ model answer
289 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
Some people consider the disappearance of particular plant and animal species to be the greatest environmental threat we face today, while others believe that other problems are more serious. Although the loss of biodiversity is undeniably alarming, I would argue that climate change is the more fundamental problem, partly because it is itself one of the main causes of extinction.
Those who regard species loss as the most pressing issue point out that it is irreversible. Once a species such as the dodo has died out, it can never be brought back, whereas polluted rivers can be cleaned and forests replanted. Furthermore, ecosystems depend on complex relationships between species, so the decline of even a single group can have far-reaching effects. The fall in bee populations in many countries, for instance, threatens the pollination of numerous food crops, which shows that biodiversity loss is not merely a concern for nature lovers but a direct risk to human food supplies.
On the other hand, many argue that problems such as global warming and air pollution deserve greater priority. Rising temperatures are already contributing to droughts, floods and crop failures that affect millions of people, and polluted air is linked to millions of premature deaths every year. Crucially, these problems also drive the loss of wildlife: coral reefs, for example, are dying largely because the oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic.
In my opinion, it is a mistake to treat these issues as entirely separate. Climate change is the central environmental challenge of our time, because it threatens human societies directly while also accelerating habitat destruction and extinction. Tackling it, alongside protecting key habitats, is therefore the most effective way to safeguard both the planet's wildlife and our own wellbeing.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- Both views are developed with relevant, specific examples, and the writer's position that climate change is more fundamental is stated clearly at the start and justified in the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Each body paragraph presents one view with a clear topic sentence, and the link between climate change and extinction is introduced in the second body paragraph and developed in the conclusion, giving the essay a logical progression.
- Lexical Resource
- Accurate environmental vocabulary such as biodiversity, irreversible, pollination, premature deaths and acidic oceans is used naturally, with paraphrases that avoid repeating the question's wording.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The essay uses a mix of complex sentences, including concessive clauses with although, relative clauses, passive forms and present continuous for ongoing change, all with accurate grammar.
Useful vocabulary
- biodiversity
- the variety of plant and animal life in a particular area or in the world
- extinction
- the situation in which a species no longer exists
- endangered species
- a type of animal or plant that is at serious risk of disappearing
- habitat destruction
- the damage or removal of the natural places where animals and plants live
- ecosystem
- all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and their environment
- irreversible
- impossible to change back to the previous state
- pollination
- the transfer of pollen that allows plants to produce fruit and seeds
- climate change
- long-term changes in the Earth's temperature and weather patterns
- premature deaths
- deaths that happen earlier than they normally would
- food security
- reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food
- far-reaching effects
- consequences that influence many people or things
- pressing issue
- a problem that needs to be dealt with urgently
- accelerate
- make something happen faster
Common mistakes
- Writing about other problems without naming any, which leaves the second view undeveloped.
- Discussing non-environmental problems such as poverty, crime or unemployment as alternatives to species loss.
- Giving no clear opinion, or simply saying all problems are equally important without explaining which deserves priority.
- Using emotional generalisations such as animals are beautiful instead of logical arguments about ecosystems and human survival.
- Writing a list of environmental problems with one sentence each instead of developing a few ideas with explanation and examples.
- Repeating the phrase loss of species throughout instead of paraphrasing with extinction, biodiversity loss and the disappearance of wildlife.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This question about whether species loss is the main environmental problem of our time is Writing Task 2 of Test 2 in Cambridge IELTS 14 Academic, published in 2019.
- Which other environmental problems can I write about?
- Choose one or two and develop them well, for example climate change, air pollution, plastic waste or water shortages. Naming specific problems makes the second view much stronger.
- Can I say the problems are connected?
- Yes, showing that climate change and habitat loss cause extinction is a sophisticated argument, but you must still state clearly which problem you think matters most.
- How many words should I write for this Task 2?
- Write at least 250 words; around 270-310 words is enough to discuss both views and give a developed opinion within 40 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.