Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-28
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 6.5)
A few individuals have decided to fly less frequently in a year or to completely stop traveling by air. I think by this resolution, the advantages in favour of the environment cannot outweigh the disadvantages of a person or a company because of major financial loss, reduction in employment and time wastage.
On one hand, the drawbacks of not using airplanes are many in number. Traveling by air can save huge amounts of time and covers long distance journeys. For example, international travel such as Canada to India by road will be too time consuming as compared to flying. In addition to that for major medical emergencies air ambulances are a viable option for patients. Furthermore, airport and airway companies provide employment to many people which can be jeopardized due to the shutdown of this business.
On the other hand, advantages in order to discontinue using air travel are countless. For instance, reduction in air pollution, noise pollution and protection of birds from injury. Feathered creatures often get crashed by wings of helicopters or get injured by accidents with airplanes. A vast quantity of fuel gets burned in air and spreads pollution across the atmosphere.
In conclusion, I think these benefits of not using air routes for travel are remarkable in favor of the environment but at the cost of economic loss and delayed medical attention in need.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. However, the essay fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the position is clear, the arguments are somewhat superficial and lack the depth required for a higher band. For example, the point about 'employment' is mentioned but not expanded upon with specific examples or logical consequences. Because the response is under-length, the development of the argument is curtailed, preventing a more thorough exploration of the complex trade-offs involved in the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. The use of cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'In addition to that', and 'Furthermore' helps guide the reader through the arguments. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the environmental benefits and the economic drawbacks could be smoother. The conclusion is brief but effectively summarizes the main points. To improve, you should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'jeopardized', 'viable', and 'remarkable'. However, there are also instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'feathered creatures often get crashed by wings of helicopters'. The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band. Increasing your use of topic-specific collocations and more academic synonyms would enhance your lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally accurate and communication is not impeded, there are some minor errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'advantages in order to discontinue' and 'delayed medical attention in need'. The control of punctuation is generally good, but the sentence variety could be improved by incorporating more complex subordinate clauses. The errors present are non-systematic and do not cause difficulty for the reader, which is consistent with a band 6.0 level.
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