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)
Nowadays, Some people choose to travel by air less frequently or stop flying completely to protect the environment. although this has some disadvantages for individuals and businesses, i believe that environmental benefits are greater.
firstly, reducing air travel can help to recover the air pollution which happened when flight is flying and fuel will use. And it will help to climate change. For instance in my country, in the capital city many people are using masks because of exessive air pollution and several people are facing health issues which is happening because of air pollution so that this is the huge problem. I will choose to save environment.
However, this is affecting the airlines, hotels and the tourism indusrty. In addition, individuals who live far from their families may find difficulty to visit them regularly.
In conclusion, flying by flight less can be a bigger challenge for businesses and some individuals, i think save the planet is very important for us.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 161 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you state a position, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack sufficient detail or relevant examples to fully explore the environmental benefits versus the economic disadvantages. The task requires a more thorough discussion of both sides to reach a higher band. Because the response is substantially under-length, it is impossible to fully address all parts of the task as required by the descriptors for higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'firstly', 'however', and 'in addition', but they are somewhat mechanical. The logical flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition from air pollution to the personal choice of wearing masks is abrupt. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'huge problem' and 'very important'. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'indusrty' and 'flying by flight', which is redundant. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and precise terminology related to environmental issues and economic impacts. Avoid repetitive language and focus on using more sophisticated synonyms to express your ideas more clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'fuel will use' (passive voice error), 'the air pollution which happened when flight is flying' (awkward phrasing), and 'save the planet is very important' (missing subject/infinitive structure). Punctuation and capitalization are also inconsistent, such as the lowercase 'i' and 'firstly'. While the meaning is generally understandable, these errors occur frequently and detract from the overall quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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