Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25

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 have took an initiative to conserve environment by decreasing the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether.

Reducing or to stop flying altogether can have a great impact in conserving environment as it reduces fuel usage, there will be less required planes etc... So, I think the advantages outweigh disadvantages.

There are many advantages if the no of passengers travelling are decreased such as the reduction amount of fuel consumed, the number of airplanes will be decreased which will eventually decrease the fund required for their maintenance costs for them and etc... When the number of passengers decrease the amount of fuel will decrease in a large extent which will be helpful for conservation of fossil fuels from extracting petroleum. This also helps in reduction of the number of planes used which helps in preventing large amount of metal usage for constructing new planes for the demand.

Reducing passengers have lots of advantages for environment on the other side there are disadvantages for individuals and businesses because many industries supply raw products to the manufacturing industries so decrease in the passengers makes these industries to go to losses which eventually effect large businesses and the stocks of these airplane companies also fall in a large scale which effects the small scale investors to go into large losses. Therefore this reduction of passengers is both advantageous and disadvantageous but advantages outweigh disadvantages.

In conclusion, the reduction of the passengers is helpful for environment but in return some economic challenges occur. So, I would say that the government must focus on the problems faced by investors or industries which are in losses by funding them which makes the country sustainable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the economic disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the argument regarding fuel consumption and plane maintenance is stated multiple times without adding new insights. The position is clear, but the supporting points are underdeveloped, relying on general statements rather than specific examples or logical progression. To improve, you should aim to provide more nuanced analysis of how businesses specifically adapt or suffer, rather than repeating the same points about fuel and maintenance costs. The conclusion is relevant but brief.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive. Phrases like 'there are many advantages' and 'on the other side' are used to transition, but the logical flow between sentences is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'etc...' which is inappropriate for formal academic writing. The progression of ideas is present but feels somewhat circular, particularly in the body paragraphs where the same points are restated rather than built upon.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is a reliance on basic terms like 'great impact', 'lots of advantages', and 'large scale'. Some word choices are imprecise, such as 'decreasing the number of times they fly' instead of 'reducing flight frequency'. There are also issues with collocation and word form, such as 'reduction amount of fuel' instead of 'reduction in the amount of fuel'. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary related to environmental and economic topics, such as 'sustainability', 'economic repercussions', or 'mitigation'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'Few people have took an initiative' (should be 'have taken an initiative') and 'the reduction amount of fuel consumed' (missing preposition). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on mastering verb tenses and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately.

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

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