Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-11

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)

Few people decided to decrease the number of times they fly every year or by plane. It has significant environmental advantages as compared to the detriments for individuals and businesses . I think the same and I totally agree with the statement.

Firstly, It will lead to an environment with less pollution and will decrease the number of diseases. The airplane emits harmful gases in the sky, which pollutes the air and leads to many diseases such as skin cancer, lungs cancer and many other.

I have read alot about the demerits of airplanes and its effects in newspaper. Apart from that,Many people lose their lives in airplane crashes. I saw a picture of aeroplanes in the sky like cars on the roads in today's world. What I mean is that the number of airplanes have increased to a tremendous amount that affects the other spices as well. There is crowd on sky like the one on road. In a nutshell, its not that only airplanes effect the environment but it would benefit us a lot If they are reduced.

However, If people would not fly by planes it would also increase environmental pollution as they will travel by car. Moreover, it might affect businesses as they face reductions in the number of clients.

At the end of the picture, I would like to conclude that Government should pay special attention on this matter to provide benefits for both the Environment and the businesses. By solving eachothers problem world would be a better place to live.

AI examiner evaluation

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 development of ideas is limited and somewhat superficial. For example, the claim that air travel causes 'skin cancer' is scientifically inaccurate and lacks logical support. The discussion on the disadvantages for businesses is very brief and lacks specific examples or depth. While a position is stated, the arguments are not fully extended, and the essay relies on generalisations rather than well-supported reasoning. To improve, you should focus on providing more logical, evidence-based arguments and ensuring that each point is fully explained with relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is basic and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and' and 'but'. Some transitions, like 'At the end of the picture', are non-standard and awkward. While the essay is coherent enough to be understood, the logical flow between sentences and paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph focuses on a single, clear idea.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choices and unnatural collocations, such as 'other spices' (likely meaning 'species') and 'crowd on sky'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and the essay relies on simple, repetitive phrasing. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more academic vocabulary and precise collocations related to the topic of environmental impact and aviation, while ensuring that words are used in their correct context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'the number of airplanes have increased'), incorrect article usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'If people would not fly by planes it would also increase'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader and indicate a lack of control over more complex grammatical structures. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors would be beneficial.

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

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