Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-07

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 6.5)

It is argued that some individuals have decided to reduce the number of times they travel by plane each year or stop travelling altogether. While there are certain drawbacks to this, I firmly believe that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages because this will significantly contribute to lower the air and noise pollution level and global warming, which are major environmental concerns.

On the one hand, there are some undeniable disadvantages to some person who have decided to fly less throughout a year or stop flying altogether. The main drawback is that due to reduction in the number of passengers, the airline companies might face a financial crisis resulting in rise in travel cost such as increase in tickets fare. For instance, in 2025, airlines company Air India faced a huge financial loss due to decreased passengers; therefore, they had to increase their flight tickets prices by 15% to compensate the laws.

On the other hand, the benefits of some people who have decided to reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether are far more significant. This is primarily because a smaller number of flights will burn less fuel, which will result in lower carbon dioxide emission. Furthermore, this will significantly reduce the global warming. Another positive aspect is that, it will also help reduce pollution such as the air and noise. A prime example of this is if a smaller number of private jet flies in a year, then less carbon dioxide is emitted, which directly reduces the air pollution. Meanwhile, it also results into reduction of the noise pollution.

In conclusion, despite the minor disadvantages such as high travel cost, the advantages including environmental benefits like reduced pollution level and global warming, make it far more compelled than disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt and maintained a clear position throughout the essay. The environmental benefits are discussed alongside the disadvantages for businesses and individuals. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the points regarding carbon dioxide and global warming in the third paragraph overlap significantly. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point adds a distinct layer of analysis rather than restating the same concept. The example provided regarding Air India is relevant, though the specific date and claim could be more effectively integrated to support the argument about economic impact.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow. For example, the phrase 'make it far more compelled' in the conclusion is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link back to the argument. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring they are used more naturally would enhance the overall flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'financial crisis', 'compensate', and 'environmental concerns'. There are, however, some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you use 'compelled' when you likely meant 'compelling', and 'laws' instead of 'losses'. Additionally, phrases like 'some person' should be 'some people' or 'some individuals'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage and attention to word forms to reach the next band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'contribute to lower' (should be 'contributing to lowering'), 'results into reduction' (should be 'results in a reduction'), and 'a smaller number of private jet flies' (should be 'private jets fly'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions following specific verbs.

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

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