Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people have decided to reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether.

Do you think the environmental benefits of this development outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

A number of individuals often think that travelling by airplane has numerous environmental negative effects and by stop using this mode of transportation can introduce many benefits to our environment. I firmly believe that this development can provide more benefits over disadvantages for individuals and businesses. In this essay we will discuss the benefits of this development for individuals and businesses.

First and foremost, travelling by airplane has direct effect on environment, by emitting the vast amount of carbon dioxide in air. Carbon dioxide is the major reason for nowadays health problems and airplane holds the large proportion for releasing CO2. If we stop using the airplane transport to some extend or completely stop it, it can help in reducing the emitting of CO2 in significant amount. As a result, it can make the environment clean, less CO2 and more healthier to live in.

Secondly, the most significant benefits we can get are improvement in climate change and air pollution. Airplane transport plays critical role in damaging the environment by contributing in global warming and air pollution around the world. In current era, global warming and air pollution are the main reason for many health diseases. Reducing the number of airplane usage can help in global warming and air pollution in large figure.

To conclude, reducing flights can provide many benefits over disadvantages for individuals and businesses. It can help in reducing the CO2 emission by huge number. Improving environment around the world by helping in reducing the global warming and air pollution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

Your position is clear: you believe reducing flights brings greater environmental benefits, and you identify lower carbon emissions, less air pollution and reduced global warming as reasons. These points are relevant, but the response addresses the comparison only partially. The task asks you to weigh environmental benefits against disadvantages for both individuals and businesses; you do not explain what people or companies might lose, such as convenience, tourism income or access to distant markets. The environmental claims are also repeated rather than developed with specific explanation or an example. To strengthen the response, discuss at least one disadvantage, compare its importance with the benefits, and support your position with a concrete example or fuller reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “First and foremost” and “Secondly” help signal the order of points, and the reader can follow your general argument. However, progression is limited because both body paragraphs make closely related claims about emissions, climate change and pollution, without developing distinct aspects of the question. The introduction also promises to discuss benefits for individuals and businesses, but the essay does not organise or explain those impacts. Some linking is mechanical, and the conclusion repeats earlier claims rather than drawing together a comparison. Give each paragraph a distinct purpose and use clear references to connect developed ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “carbon dioxide,” “global warming,” “air pollution” and “environmental.” This gives the response a clear connection to the subject. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, which makes some claims less natural: “airplane transport,” “in large figure” and “more healthier to live in” are examples. “Carbon dioxide is the major reason for nowadays health problems” is also an overgeneralised and awkwardly expressed claim. Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated wording, for example by using terms such as “aviation emissions,” “air quality” and “reduce substantially.” Check word forms and natural phrasing when revising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the main message is generally understandable. There are some recurring errors in sentence construction and grammatical patterns, however. For example, “by stop using this mode” needs a gerund after “by,” while “travelling by airplane has direct effect” is missing an article. In “If we stop using the airplane transport … it can help in reducing the emitting,” the conditional structure is understandable, but the later noun phrase is not formed correctly. The final paragraph also contains a fragment: “Improving environment around the world by helping in reducing…” Use complete sentences, check articles and verb forms, and practise combining clauses accurately. Greater control of these patterns would make your argument easier to read.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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