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)

In recent times, flying had become more affordable to everyone, making many people to fly often. Now, some people have decided to start reducing the number of times they fly every year or stop flying altogether to reduce the carbon emission they make, which is very thoughtful and helpful for the environment. In my opinion this will bring a significant difference in reducing global carbon emission. In this essay I will explain the reasons behind my opinion with relevant examples.

Nowadays, there is a lot of pollution happening around the globe and it is increasing every year, travelling by plane is one of the major cause of it. So, if many people start reducing to fly it will help in controlling the carbon emission. For instance, if a person wants to visit a relative in other state he can drive there instead of flying, likewise people can start reducing unnecessary flights and benifit the environment.

Conversely, people can not drive everywhere, so flying can not be avoided completely and many times flying is cheaper and faster to reach destination. Furthermore, avoiding flying altogether will have impact on many businesses and can make them less efficient. Therefore, people and businesses should make rational decisions and start reducing flying whenevery they can. For example, businesses can stop flying employees to trips and have them use other means of transportation.

In conclusion, if significant number of people and businesses start limiting flying we can see a noticible difference in carbn emission. Therefore, in my opinion the advantages will outweight the disadvantages for individuals and businesses.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, presenting a clear position that the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that flying is a major cause of pollution and suggest driving as an alternative, the discussion regarding the impact on businesses is quite brief and lacks specific, well-developed examples. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'how' and 'why' of your arguments, perhaps by discussing the economic implications of reduced business travel or the feasibility of alternative technologies in more detail.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. There is a clear progression of ideas, moving from the environmental benefits to the counter-arguments and finally to a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'Conversely', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise in places. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0 level of organization.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your opinions clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'carbon emission' and 'environmental benefits'. However, there are several spelling errors, such as 'benifit', 'everywey', 'noticible', and 'carbn', which detract from the quality of the writing. Additionally, the range of vocabulary is somewhat narrow; using more sophisticated synonyms or collocations would improve the lexical variety. For example, instead of repeating 'flying', you could use 'air travel' or 'aviation'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'flying had become' (should be 'has become'), 'making many people to fly' (should be 'making many people fly'), and 'one of the major cause' (should be 'causes'). These errors are noticeable but do not significantly impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of infinitives. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring accuracy would help elevate your score.

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

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