Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-22

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 6.0)

In recent years, many people have chosen to reduce the number of times they travel by air, while others have decided to stop flying altogether. Although this trend may create some difficulties for individuals and businesses. I believe that the environmental benefits of this development can easily outweigh the disadvantages. This essay will explain why I think that the improvement is beneficial for environment with relevant examples.

There are several significant environmental benefits of reducing air travel. Firstly, aircraft consume a large amount of fuel which produce significant amount of carbon di-oxide. Therefore, if fewer people travel by plane the global warming rate will be decrease and heavy rainfall will reduce. So that people who suffer from flood and river erosion can lead a happy life. Secondly, reducing the number of flights can contribute to lower sound and noise pollution around airports. Besides, it creates excessive sound to flying animals which leads to extinction of rare birds. Moreover, people can use bus, train, steamer and other vehicles for shorter journey. These options are more environment friendly and reduce pressure on air travel.

However, this development also have some negative effects. Such as many businessman and individuals use airplane to travel within a short period and save time. Additionally, some patient use it for instant treatment. So, reducing flight numbers lead to economical loss. But I believe that the environmental benefits are more significant. By using modern technologies these negative effects on people can be reduced . Such as video conferencing or online meetings through smartphones, tablets, laptops or computers. Beside alternative transport also help to decrease the demerits of this development.

In conclusion, although some negative effects exist on individuals and businesses I believe that the advantages of this development can easily outweigh the disadvantages by using modern technologies and alternative ways.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as the reduction of carbon emissions and noise pollution, and the counter-arguments regarding business and medical travel are acknowledged. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the link between reduced air travel and the prevention of river erosion is tenuous and lacks logical depth. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific, well-reasoned explanations for your claims rather than listing general points. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance, maintaining a clear position throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. There is a logical progression of ideas from the environmental benefits to the disadvantages and finally to the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Moreover', and 'However' are used to link sentences and paragraphs. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the sentence fragment 'Such as many businessman and individuals...'. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'carbon di-oxide', 'extinction', and 'economical loss'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'produce significant amount' should be 'produces a significant amount', and 'flying animals' is an unnatural way to refer to birds. Additionally, 'economical loss' should be 'economic loss'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, you need to use more precise and natural collocations to achieve a higher score. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated academic vocabulary would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'aircraft consume... which produce', 'development also have') and article usage. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some errors, such as the sentence fragment starting with 'Such as' in the third paragraph. These errors do not generally impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed correctly will help improve your score.

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

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