Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-29

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 7.5)

Airplanes are one of the most significant causes of air pollution within the transport sector. This is mainly due to the large amounts of fuel consumed over the course of a single flight. This has prompted some people to reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether.

Lower demand for commercial flights, especially short ones, would force airline companies to reduce the number of total flights. This would result in individuals having to resort to alternative, and definitely less polluting means of transport to reach their destination. Even if all the passengers on a commercial airline chose to drive to their destination using their cars instead of taking a plane, they would still be causing less harm to the environment due to the sheer magnitude of carbon dioxide dumped out as exhaust by a plane. It is easy to see that the environmental benefits in this case clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

However, it is harder to justify choosing environmental wellness over comfort and speed when it comes to longer flights, or in cases where the destination can only be accessed by air. For international travel, which would require a travel time of several hours by flight, planes are practically the only feasible option. Businesses especially would have a hard time arranging for alterative means of travel in such cases.

In conclusion, the environmental benefits of this development only outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses for short flights where an alternate mode of transport can be easily used.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. Your position is clear throughout the essay. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide a logical argument regarding short-haul flights, the discussion on long-haul travel and business impact is brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the specific 'disadvantages' for businesses—such as the economic impact of reduced global trade or the loss of time efficiency—rather than simply stating they would have a 'hard time'. More detailed examples would strengthen your response significantly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Your essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In conclusion', and 'This would result in' to link your ideas effectively. The progression of your argument is easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the benefits from the limitations. To improve further, ensure that the transition between the environmental argument and the business argument is slightly more nuanced, perhaps by using more sophisticated linking phrases to show the contrast between environmental necessity and economic reality.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'commercial flights', 'feasible option', and 'environmental wellness'. Your word choice is generally accurate and conveys your meaning clearly. There are no significant spelling errors. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise, less common collocations or academic vocabulary. For example, instead of 'dumped out', you could use 'emitted' or 'discharged'. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary related to sustainability and aviation would also help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your grammar is generally accurate. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is correct. You successfully use conditional structures ('if all the passengers... chose to drive') and modal verbs to express possibilities. While your control is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of subordinate clauses or passive voice constructions to add more sophistication to your writing. Your current level of accuracy is strong, which supports clear communication.

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