Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-06

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 5.5)

Some individuals have made a decision to fly less or not at all. I firmly believe that reducing the number of flights every year is better rather than not travelling at all, both for the environment and for your own self and its advantages outweighs the disadvantages as a person enjoys while travelling and it is sometimes needed to travel for a business meeting.

Taking flights to different countries as a form of exploration proves to be extremely beneficial for a person's own health. It relaxes the mind from the daily stress and chaos and refreshes the mind. Some people explore places as a hobby, for business and to earn a living. So sometimes it is compulsory to take flights to places farther away from your homeland. It also gives new experience to individuals and is very convenient to reduce the commuting time as compared to other vehicles like cars and trains. Comfort is also a major factor contributing to choosing flight as the first option. For example, every year many business exibitions are held in Australia where other entrepreneurs are invited to join and to reduce commuting time and keeping comfrt level in mind, flights are given priority.

However, completely stopping flights can cause many problems like reducing business meeting and completely stopping a chance to earn through travelling and vlogging. Similarly, it effects the economy of a nation by generating less revenue, but to improve that individuals should invite people to their own country. By doing this people can reduce the number of flights and reduce the number of fuel used and cause less air and noise pollution which would directly save the environment from numerous dangerous factors.

In conclusion, i believe that it is better to reduce the number of flights every year rather than not taking it at all which would cause less noise and air pollution and directly benefit the environment. However sometimes it is necessary to travel and it also proves to be beneficial for businesses and relaxing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is identifiable: you favour reducing flights rather than stopping them, and you recognise environmental gains alongside personal and business costs. The response addresses both sides, with relevant points about pollution, travel for work, and the convenience of flying. However, the comparison implied by “outweigh the disadvantages” is not fully resolved: the opening says the benefits outweigh disadvantages, but much of the essay explains why flying remains useful, and the conclusion does not clearly weigh these considerations. Some ideas also need fuller support. For instance, inviting visitors to one’s own country is suggested as a way to protect the economy, but the practical link to fewer flights is not explained. Develop the environmental case and explicitly show why it is more significant than the costs.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate discussion paragraphs, and a conclusion. The shift signalled by “However” helps distinguish the costs of stopping flights from the environmental benefits of reducing them. Nevertheless, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several points are placed together without clear links. The first body paragraph moves from health and relaxation to hobbies, business, convenience, comfort, and an exhibition example; these ideas would be clearer if grouped and explained in a more deliberate order. Some references are also unclear, such as “By doing this,” whose meaning depends on the preceding suggestion. Use topic sentences and more precise linking or referencing to make the relationship between each claim and example explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “air and noise pollution,” “revenue,” “entrepreneurs,” and “commuting time,” which helps communicate the topic. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “a form of exploration” and “daily stress and chaos.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural, including “for a person's own health,” “keeping comfort level in mind,” and “completely stopping a chance to earn.” Spelling errors such as “exibitions” and “comfrt” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural collocations and precise wording rather than repeating broad terms such as “beneficial” and “reduce.” For example, describe how travel supports business activity or how fewer flights lower emissions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “which” and “as,” and your main meaning is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly with agreement and sentence construction. In the opening, “its advantages outweighs” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “both for the environment and for your own self” shifts awkwardly from the essay’s general subject to “your.” The sentence beginning “I firmly believe” is overloaded and joins several ideas without a clear grammatical structure. There are also issues with articles and plural forms in phrases such as “reduce the number of fuel used.” Improve control by separating long sentences, checking subject–verb agreement, and reviewing articles and countable nouns. Capitalise “I” consistently.

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