Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Nowadays, several people choose to travel by air less often because they are worried about climate change. Although this decision may create some issues for individuals, and businesses, I believe the environment benefits are much greater.
First of all, flying less can have some disadvantages. Many people travel by plane to visit family, friends and relatives. They also travel to study abroad or go on holiday. If they stop flying, they may lose valuable opportunities or spend much more time travelling by other means.
For instance, international companies need employees to attend meeting, seminars and built relationship with clients. Airlines, hotels and travel agencies may also loose customer, which could reduce their income and affect employment.
On the other hand, reducing air travel can significantly benefit the environment. Airplanes produce large amount of carbon dioxide, which is one if the main causes of global warming. If more people choose trains or reduce unnecessary flights, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions will decrease. This can help protect wildlife, improve air quality and slow down climate change. Furthermore, modern technology allows people to communicate through video calls, making business trips unnecessary.
In conclusion, although flying less may cause some inconvenience for travelers and reduce profits for some businesses, I believe these drawbacks are small compared with the long-term environment benefits. Protecting the planet is crucial and choosing to fly only when necessary is responsible step towards a cleaner and healthier future.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. However, the essay falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the position is clear throughout, the arguments—particularly regarding the economic impact on businesses—could have been expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach the required length. The conclusion is relevant, but the overall development is somewhat thin due to the word count constraint.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to link ideas. However, the transition between the individual disadvantages and the business impact within the first body paragraph is slightly abrupt. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of the argument is coherent.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some minor errors, such as 'loose' instead of 'lose' and 'built' instead of 'build'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to discuss the topic, but it lacks the sophistication or precision required for a higher band. Phrases like 'valuable opportunities' and 'unnecessary flights' are functional but common. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding basic spelling errors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'one if the main causes' (should be 'one of') and 'is responsible step' (missing an article). The punctuation is generally correct, and the sentence variety is sufficient for the task. However, the frequency of minor errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on proofreading for small errors like missing articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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