Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

It has been decided by some people to reduce the frequency of their flights each year or stop flying altogether. From my perspective, a reduction in the total number of flights may benefit the environment, but to a limited extent as other sources of pollution still remains in uasge. Thus, this little environmental benefit may not outweigh the disadvantages for iindividuals and businesses.

Travelling through airways is a necessity for some people, and for others it is a convenient choice. Aeroplanes are a necessary vehicle for those people who operate business worldwide, for travellers, and also for the critical patients. However, the environmentally conscious people are now deciding to reduce their travel frequency via planes or completely avoid it. Each year a large amount of fuel is being used to operate the planes, and this is contributing to natural resource depletion. Additionaly, the harmful gases emitted from each flight negatively affects the environment.Thus, this decision of avoiding flights can impede environmental pollution to some extent.

On the other hand, environmental degradation is not only caused by planes, rather there are a vast number of sources that act as a polluttant. For instance, the increasing numbers of vehicles navigating through the roadways highly contribute to environmental pollution. Moreover, the machineries and factories that emit harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide are also detremental to the atmosphere. In addition, we should also keep in mind that airways significantly contribute to the economy of a country, and it accelerates international trade. Therefore, reduced number of flights can be disadvantageous to individuals and businesses.

In conclusion, reducing or preventing flight usage may benefit the environment to some extend but it may not outweigh the drawbacks it could cause to people and businesses.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you argue that reducing flights brings some environmental benefit, but that this does not outweigh the disadvantages. You address both sides, noting fuel use and emissions before discussing other pollution sources and the economic role of air travel. These points are relevant, but some are less fully developed than others. For example, you mention that flights are important for business, travellers and critical patients, yet do not explain the specific consequences of reducing access for these groups. Likewise, the claim that other pollution sources limit the benefit would be stronger with a comparison of their scale or a concrete example. Develop each main point with explanation and evidence to make the argument more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall structure: an introduction states your view, two body paragraphs present contrasting considerations, and the conclusion restates your position. Linking expressions such as “However,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the argument. At times, though, connections are mechanical or the reference is unclear. In “Thus, this decision of avoiding flights,” the phrase “this decision” is somewhat vague, and the transition from the environmental effects of aviation to the benefits of air travel for the economy could be made more explicit. Improve progression by arranging each paragraph around one central claim and showing how each example supports it.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “natural resource depletion,” “harmful gases,” “environmental degradation,” and “international trade.” These choices allow you to discuss both environmental and economic effects. You also attempt less common expressions, but some are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “polluttant,” “detremental,” and “airways significantly contribute to the economy.” There are also spelling errors, including “Additionaly” and “uasge,” which reduce the accuracy of the writing even though the meaning is generally clear. Aim for precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for instance, refer to “air travel” or “the aviation industry” when discussing its economic contribution.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “may benefit the environment, but…” and a relative clause in “factories that emit harmful gases.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “other sources of pollution still remains” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “the harmful gases emitted from each flight negatively affects” also needs agreement between the plural subject and verb. The sentence beginning “For instance” is followed by a comma splice in “pollution. Moreover” only if punctuation is handled carefully; more clearly, “environmental degradation is not only caused by planes, rather…” needs a better grammatical link between its clauses. Review agreement and clause joining to improve accuracy.

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