Looking for life on other planets: IELTS Task 2 essay #20, band 6.5

A student’s answer to this repeated IELTS question, shared without their name and marked by Axiom on the four criteria. Select a highlighted passage to see how it could be revised, and why.

299 words. Marked by Axiom on 23 January 2026. Estimated by AI. It isn’t an official IELTS score.

Task 2299 words

Some people want governments to spend money on other plants to look for life. Others believe that it is a waste of public money when there are many unsolved problems on earth. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

There is a debate over the waste of money. While some people say it is better government to purchase plants for the sake of life in space , I am with those who believe that there are many problems without solutions on Earth

There can be no doubt that setting up plants on other planets would be beneficial in terms of getting resources. This is particularly very useful for governments who are focused on finding out more resources. For example the Earth in following decades may start running out of fossils and in this case rising plants on other habitable planets would prevent people from suffering the crisis. In addition to that growing plants there would assist many researchers to understand how plants are able to grow in different conditions and this would be improvement in scientific knowledge.

Lexical resource
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RevisedThere is no doubt that establishing plants on other planets could be advantageous in terms of resource acquisition.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.
Lexical resource
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RevisedFurthermore, cultivating plants in extraterrestrial environments could enhance researchers' understanding of how plants adapt to different conditions, thereby advancing scientific knowledge.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.

As strong as these arguments are , the counter arguments outweigh them. One of them is that air pollution still remained on the Earth. For instance governments are advised to spend their budget on improving the state of air on the Earth because attempting to move in another planet would cost a fortune. Also there can be risk that plants are not going to survive in such habitats. As an example governments can spent entire income on rising plants , but the risks that this method fails are really high and additionally it will be completely waste of money. Finally it could be better to spend money on necessary products that only Earth requests

Grammar & accuracy
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RevisedThere is also the risk that plants may not survive in such habitats.
The revised sentence corrects the awkward construction and the use of the incorrect form of the verb 'survive'.
Lexical resource
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RevisedFor instance, if governments were to allocate their entire income to cultivating plants in space, the risks of failure would be substantial, and it could potentially be a misuse of funds.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.
Grammar & accuracy
Close revision note
RevisedFinally, it might be better to spend money on the necessary products that are in demand on Earth.
The revised sentence corrects the awkward construction and the use of the incorrect form of the verb 'request'.

In conclusion, while space explorations provide many benefits as getting fossils and helping to researchers, I still insist on that it is waste of money since there are some problems on the Earth without being sorted out and there is a risk of a failure in experiment

Coherence & cohesion
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RevisedIn conclusion, while space explorations offer potential benefits, such as obtaining fossils and advancing research, I maintain that it is a misuse of funds, given the numerous unsolved problems on Earth and the inherent risks of space experiments.
The revised sentence provides a clearer and more concise conclusion, restating the main points and the writer's position.

Select a highlighted passage to see its suggested revision.

Estimated by AI. It isn’t an official IELTS score.

What Axiom wrote for each criterion: why the answer earned its band, and what to work on next.

Coherence & cohesion

Band 6.0/ 9

The essay is logically organized and the progression of ideas is clear. However, there are some issues with the use of cohesive devices and the overall cohesion of the essay. The essay follows a logical structure, but the use of cohesive devices is sometimes inaccurate or missing, making the connection between ideas less smooth. Additionally, the conclusion could be more effective in summarizing the main points and clearly stating the writer's opinion.

Suggestions

Use a variety of cohesive devices to ensure smooth transition between ideas.
Make sure to clearly restate your position in the conclusion and summarize the main points.

Sentence revisions 1

RevisedIn conclusion, while space explorations offer potential benefits, such as obtaining fossils and advancing research, I maintain that it is a misuse of funds, given the numerous unsolved problems on Earth and the inherent risks of space experiments.
The revised sentence provides a clearer and more concise conclusion, restating the main points and the writer's position.

Grammar & accuracy

Band 6.0/ 9

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms and there are few grammatical errors. However, there are some errors in article and preposition usage, as well as in subject-verb agreement. The essay demonstrates a good control of a wide range of grammatical structures, with only occasional errors. However, there are a few instances of incorrect verb forms and sentence structures that could be revised for clarity and accuracy.

Sentence revisions 3

RevisedWhile space explorations provide many benefits, such as obtaining fossils and aiding researchers, I still maintain that it is a waste of money, given the numerous unsolved problems on Earth and the risk of experimental failure.
The revised sentence corrects the awkward construction and the incorrect use of the word 'aiding'.
RevisedThere is also the risk that plants may not survive in such habitats.
The revised sentence corrects the awkward construction and the use of the incorrect form of the verb 'survive'.
RevisedFinally, it might be better to spend money on the necessary products that are in demand on Earth.
The revised sentence corrects the awkward construction and the use of the incorrect form of the verb 'request'.

Lexical resource

Band 7.0/ 9

The essay demonstrates a good command of a broad lexical repertoire. However, there are a few instances of awkward or incorrect word choice. The essay demonstrates a good range of vocabulary, with some less common and idiomatic language. However, there are a few instances of awkward or incorrect word choice that could be revised for clarity and accuracy.

Sentence revisions 3

RevisedThere is no doubt that establishing plants on other planets could be advantageous in terms of resource acquisition.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.
RevisedFurthermore, cultivating plants in extraterrestrial environments could enhance researchers' understanding of how plants adapt to different conditions, thereby advancing scientific knowledge.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.
RevisedFor instance, if governments were to allocate their entire income to cultivating plants in space, the risks of failure would be substantial, and it could potentially be a misuse of funds.
The revised sentence is more formal and academic in tone, and uses more precise language.

Task response

Band 7.0/ 9

The essay addresses the task effectively, presenting a clear position throughout the response. However, the argument could be more fully developed and supported with specific examples. The essay effectively addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the conclusion could be more effective in summarizing the main points and restating the writer's position.

Suggestions

Ensure that you fully develop your arguments and support them with specific examples.

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