Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

A certain number of people has declined the number of flight times each year. While the other half evaluating to stop taking the flight forever. The discussion will be presented on the following topic illustrating both pros and cons

The advantages of refraining from taking the sky have some natural benefits as well as economically efficient. Firstly, taking into account the environmental concern, each year a substantial litres of jet fuels are being used for aircraft, producing the carbon mixed particles in the atmosphere causing the greenhouse effect. As a result, we witness acid rain kind of environmental calamity. In addition, the pricing effect is also another concern impacting on economical outcomes. Due to the recent hikes of fuel rate, many airlines have increased their fare by 4 times which causes the flight to be expensive compared to the previous year demotivating the people to travel often.

However, there are growing disadvantages of people not taking the flight. The global trade has reached to a certain level where businesses and individuals are involved in cross board trading and to ensure the stability of the core business, people need to travel to places for smoother communication.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you identify both environmental benefits and economic disadvantages, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack sufficient supporting evidence or examples. The position is somewhat clear, but the brevity prevents a thorough exploration of the prompt. To improve, you must expand on your points by providing specific examples—such as the impact of virtual meeting technology on business travel—and ensure you address all parts of the prompt with greater depth and detail to reach the required length.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive start. However, the logical progression is hindered by the lack of development. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly' and 'However', but the transitions between sentences are sometimes mechanical or abrupt. The introduction is slightly confusing, particularly the phrase 'the other half evaluating to stop', which lacks a clear subject. To improve, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that directly relates to your main argument, followed by supporting sentences that flow logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for basic communication, but there are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect collocations. For example, 'taking the sky' is not a standard English idiom, and 'substantial litres' is grammatically incorrect. You also use 'economical outcomes' where 'economic' would be more precise. The range of vocabulary is limited, and you rely on repetitive structures. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and focus on learning common collocations, such as 'carbon emissions' instead of 'carbon mixed particles'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'A certain number of people has declined' (subject-verb agreement), 'the other half evaluating to stop' (missing auxiliary verb), and 'pricing effect is also another concern' (redundant phrasing). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and sentence construction. Practice using a variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, while ensuring they are grammatically accurate.

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

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