Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-18

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)

Many people have taken the decision to reduce the number of times they travel by airplanes or stop flying at all for environmental benefits. In my opinion, the advantages of this development do not outweigh the disadvantages for individuals losing travel or tour opportunities and businesses losing potential international markets.

The primary benefit of this decision is the environmental reset that we are going to experience. Since less fuel will be burned as fewer people will travel, less carbon dioxide will be released in the atmosphere, benefitting our nature over time. During Covid-19 pandemic, for example, each nation experienced better air quality, less traffic congestion and sustainability in the nature as a result lockdown. However, as soon as the situation got better, environment went back to its vulnerable situation.

There are, nevertheless, obvious disadvantages for individuals and businesses. Thousands of people each year travel to various destinations for different purposes such as studying, employment opportunities, travelling for holidays, meeting families etc. When air travel is reduced, it will ruin their travel experience, better future opportunities, and will affect tourism industry as well. Similarly, businesses in the present globalized world are more interconnected beyond borders. So, businesses targeting international market will significantly lose potential clients, as meeting prospects and pursuing them in person is much more effective than virtual meetings and so it requires business professionals to travel to target counties multiple times when necessary. Therefore less flying opportunity would affect such businesses' growth. For instance, Bangladesh's RMG sector exports million dollars worth goods each year. This requires many foreign buyers to visit garments and facilities to ensure quality and further business discussions. Blocking such clients from coming by reducing airplane will significantly reduce The country's overall GDP.

In conclusion, reduction in flying or stopping it altogether definitely brings good for our environment but individuals and businesses will lose holiday experience and suffer huge loss in opportunities and profitability and so i do not agree that the advantages of this decision will outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the disadvantages outweigh the environmental benefits. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of the RMG sector in Bangladesh. However, the development of the environmental benefits is somewhat brief, and the argument could be strengthened by exploring the nuance of 'reducing' versus 'stopping' flying entirely. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that the counter-arguments are balanced with more depth regarding the long-term global impact of climate change versus the immediate economic losses mentioned.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, such as the environmental impact in the second paragraph and the economic impact in the third. Cohesive devices like 'The primary benefit', 'However', 'Nevertheless', and 'For instance' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions between sentences could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for clear communication. You demonstrate an ability to use topic-specific terminology such as 'carbon dioxide', 'globalized world', 'international markets', and 'GDP'. There are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'environmental reset' or 'sustainability in the nature', which sound slightly unnatural. However, these do not impede meaning. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary to express complex ideas, as the current range is adequate but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good attempt at using complex sentences, such as 'Since less fuel will be burned as fewer people will travel, less carbon dioxide will be released'. However, there are persistent minor errors, particularly with articles ('the atmosphere', 'the tourism industry') and prepositions ('in the nature' instead of 'in nature'). Punctuation is generally correct, though some sentences could be refined for better flow. The errors present do not cause difficulty for the reader, but more consistent control over complex structures is needed to move into the 7.0+ range.

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