Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21

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 7.0)

In recent years, a growing number of individuals have chosen to minimize or entirely eliminate air travel from their lifestyles. While this trend offers undeniable ecological advantages, I firmly believe that the resulting negative repercussions for businesses and individuals significantly outweigh these environmental benefits.

A drastic reduction in aviation would severely disrupt global commerce and personal connectivity. For corporations, international business travel is indispensable for securing partnerships, attending conferences, and managing global supply chains. Although virtual meetings have become popular, they cannot fully replicate the trust built through face-to-face interactions. Consequently, a lack of flights would inevitably lead to decreased productivity and economic stagnation. For individuals, halting air travel would alienate people from overseas families and devastate the global tourism industry, which many developing nations rely on for survival.

On the other hand, the environmental merits of reducing flights are substantial. The aviation sector is responsible for a significant percentage of global carbon emissions, which accelerate climate change. Therefore, a collective decision to fly less would directly lead to a reduction in carbon footprints and cleaner atmospheric conditions. However, these benefits do not outweigh the drawbacks, because grounding planes does not solve the root cause of pollution.

Manufacturing and energy production, contribute far more to global warming.

In conclusion, while reducing air travel undoubtedly yields positive outcomes for the planet's atmosphere, the societal and economic costs are far too high. Because modern businesses and international families are fundamentally dependent on aviation, the disadvantages of stopping flights outweigh the environmental rewards.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the disadvantages outweigh the environmental benefits. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, particularly the discussion on global commerce and the limitations of virtual meetings. The argument is consistent throughout the essay. While the environmental section is slightly less detailed than the economic one, the overall position remains clear and well-supported. The essay effectively balances the two sides of the argument, providing a coherent rationale for the final conclusion. The response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt's requirement to weigh the benefits against the disadvantages.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the economic arguments and the environmental counter-argument is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'on the other hand', and 'therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The flow of information is natural, and the relationship between sentences is clear, which contributes to a coherent overall structure. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the referencing is precise throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic context. The student uses a range of topic-specific terminology such as 'economic stagnation', 'global supply chains', 'carbon footprints', and 'atmospheric conditions'. The language is natural and demonstrates a good level of control. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning. The student successfully uses less common items to express complex ideas, such as 'undeniable ecological advantages' and 'fundamentally dependent'. The lexical range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with clarity and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses and participial phrases. The majority of the sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There is a minor punctuation error in the penultimate paragraph where a comma is incorrectly placed between the subject and the verb ('Manufacturing and energy production, contribute...'), but this is a minor slip that does not affect the overall clarity. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the response, and the punctuation is otherwise used effectively to enhance readability.

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