Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-23

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)

Some indviduals have decided to reduce the number of times they travel by air or to stop flying entirely. In my opinion, I believe the environmental benefits of this decision outweigh the effect on individuals and businesses because frequent air travel causes air pollution.

It is true that transportation by air is faster and comfortable, but it has some negative effects on our environments. The aircrafts uses biofuel for combustion which release gases that are toxic into the air, thereby polluting the air we breathe. When we inhale these gases, it poses a threat to human health by affecting the airways and the breathing system. Another negative effect is carbon emission, these are released into the air, therefore, making the air full of impurities that are harmful to human health. However, with reduction in the number of times we fly, our air environment can become pure again.

On the other hand, this decision will affect individuals, because the other means of transportation will make trips longer, uncomfortable, and boring. Also, the risk of car accidents will increase because more people will be travelling by road. On businesses, it will reduce income and as well become more expensive, because the number of people flying has reduced and in order to meet up with expenses, the prices will increase. Although, these challenges are significant, but they are not as important as human health which will be conserved if we limit the rate at which we travel by air. Moreover, there are other sources of income.

In conclusion, I agree that the environmental benefits outweigh the negative impacts on people and business because of the detrimental effects of toxic gases on human beings.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, though some arguments, such as the claim that aircraft use biofuel for combustion, are factually inaccurate in a general context, as most commercial aviation uses kerosene-based jet fuel. While the position is consistent, the development of the disadvantages for businesses is somewhat superficial. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or deeper analysis of the economic impact, rather than simply stating that prices will increase. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt.

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 theme, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the second paragraph ('these are released') is a bit vague. Improving the flow between sentences within paragraphs would enhance the overall coherence. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the environmental benefits from the individual and business disadvantages.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'detrimental', 'impurities', and 'combustion'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'the aircrafts uses' is grammatically incorrect, and 'our air environment' is not a standard collocation. You also repeat the word 'air' frequently, which limits the sophistication of your writing. To improve, try to use more precise synonyms and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate. The range is sufficient to communicate your ideas clearly, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are recurring grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('aircrafts uses') and punctuation issues, particularly with comma splices ('carbon emission, these are released'). Additionally, there are minor errors like 'the number of people flying has reduced' (should be 'has decreased') and 'as well become more expensive'. Despite these errors, the meaning is generally clear, and the mistakes do not significantly impede communication. Increasing the variety of error-free complex structures would help improve your score in this criterion.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.