Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-04

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 5.0)

For decades, humans have been travelling by air to the different regions of the world for different purposes. However, from recent years this trend is falling due to environmental awareness among the new generation which is also causing many economic issues for many nations. Their are some advantages and disadvantages of travel by air.

Initially, the reduction in air trips are causing due to fuel hike which increased the ticket price and also it caused the high inflation. Moreover, many NGOs are also creating awareness among the new generation about enviremental benefits through social media and other mediums. The inividuals and even businesses have shifted their focus from international tours to local areas which is saving their funds and also better for environment. For example, in many developed countries, businesses have reduced their international work trips and shifting their work to remote systems which is benefiting them a lot now.

Secondly, the fewer air trips by people and businesses is disturbing the economical cycle which was build by governments, which was providing job opportunities to many workers but now less demands in air trips is causing workers layoff and financial problems to aviation industry. For example, according to a survey, many airlines had stopped their operations due to fewer travelers and high fuel prices which was causing huge loss to them.

In conclusion, I have reached this point that less air travel is good for environment but it causing serious financial issues to the large aviation industry which ultimately impacting the country's economy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the economic disadvantages. However, the position is not fully developed. While you mention that the trend is 'good for environment' but causes 'financial issues,' you do not explicitly state whether the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, which is a core requirement of the task. The ideas are relevant but remain somewhat superficial; for instance, the link between fuel prices and environmental awareness is slightly confused. To improve, ensure you take a clear stance in the introduction and maintain it throughout, providing more nuanced analysis rather than just listing points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Initially,' 'Moreover,' and 'Secondly' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing. For example, the transition from discussing fuel prices to environmental awareness is abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the use of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated to achieve a higher band. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas will enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on common terms like 'good,' 'bad,' and 'many.' There are also some spelling errors, such as 'enviremental' and 'inividuals,' and minor word-choice issues like 'economical cycle' (should be 'economic cycle') and 'build' (should be 'built'). To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental policy and aviation economics, and pay closer attention to spelling and collocations to ensure your writing sounds more natural and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the reduction... are causing'), incorrect verb forms ('which was build'), and awkward phrasing ('I have reached this point that'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels repetitive. To reach a higher band, focus on mastering complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses and conditional sentences more accurately, and proofread carefully to eliminate basic errors in tense and agreement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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