Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-09

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 4.0)

Some individuals have decided to minimize the number of times they fly once in a year or to stop flying altogether. I believe, it can be beneficial for better public transport and saves time.While there are some drewbacks too, it's dangerous and higher prices.

Intially, nowadays a significant number of people prefer to go their destinations thorough airplane as compared to public transport. As it helps to reduce traffic congestions, sound problems, and carbon emissions. Additionlly,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the topic and offer a tentative view, saying flying less “can be beneficial,” while also mentioning disadvantages. However, the response does not clearly answer whether environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. The points about public transport, traffic, noise and carbon emissions are only briefly introduced, and the claim that flying less “saves time” or involves “higher prices” is not explained or connected to the comparison in the question. There is no relevant example or developed discussion of effects on businesses. The response is also substantially below the required 250 words, so the task is addressed only minimally. To improve, state your position directly and develop both environmental benefits and personal and business costs with explanations and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: an opening paragraph gives a position and mentions drawbacks, followed by a paragraph beginning “Initially” that introduces environmental points. The ideas are not developed into a clear progression, however, and the second paragraph ends abruptly with “Additionally,” leaving the reader without the promised point. The relationship between flying less, public transport and the claimed benefits is also unclear. Some linking is attempted through “While” and “As,” but the latter introduces an incomplete sentence rather than a clear connection. Build a complete paragraph for each main idea, use linking expressions to show contrast and cause, and ensure that each paragraph develops a point before moving on.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “carbon emissions,” “traffic congestions,” “public transport” and “destinations,” which shows an attempt to discuss environmental effects. The range is limited in this short response, and several choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward, such as “go their destinations thorough airplane,” “sound problems” and “higher prices.” There are also spelling errors in “drewbacks,” “Intially” and “Additionlly,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise collocations, such as “travel to their destinations by plane,” “noise pollution” and “increased costs.” Expanding the response would also give you the opportunity to use a wider range of vocabulary for business impacts and individual disadvantages.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes some simple clauses and an attempt at a complex contrast with “While there are some drawbacks too,” but the range of sentence structures is narrow and control is uneven. For example, “I believe, it can be beneficial for better public transport and saves time” has an unclear structure and mismatched verb forms; “As it helps to reduce traffic congestions…” is a dependent clause presented as a sentence; and “Some individuals have decided to minimize the number of times they fly once in a year” contains an awkwardly formed time expression. Punctuation spacing is also inconsistent, and the final “Additionally,” is left unfinished. Practise writing complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check that clauses joined by connectors form a grammatical whole.

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