Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-27

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)

Many individuals have reached the conclusion of either cutting down their air travel or stopping it completely. I do not think that the environmental benefit which will be achieved as a result of this outweighs the problems which will arise for companies and the people choosing to do so.

Air travel is the fastest mode of transport and on various occasions, the alternative methods of travel simply cannot suffice. For example, if a person's family member who does not live in the same city or country has had a fatal accident, it is imperative for that person to reach their family as soon as possible and the only way they can do that is by taking a flight. For people working away from their homes, every time they travel to their hometown, flights are the easiest way for them to maximise their time away from work. If they were to use a train or boat instead, they'd have to factor in an extra 1-2 days just for the travel time. This would cause people to either take more time off work, or not be satisfied with having to spend their precious paid leaves travelling for long periods.

Flights are also the only way some places can be accessed for certain people. For example, an international student in the United States of America has no choice but to take a flight if they want to visit their parents in a different continent. No student would be willing to spend multiple days switching through buses, trains and ships. Flights bring in too much convenience for people. Even for businesses, while most conversations and meetings can be held online due to our advancements in technology, certain events and meetings require a physical presence. Senior leaders of companies always prefer to have a physical get-together while discussing matters which involve millions and sometimes billions of dollars. For such individuals, using any other means of transport is simply not feasible, given how frequently they would have to travel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. You address both sides of the argument—the environmental benefits versus the disadvantages for individuals and businesses—by providing specific examples like family emergencies and international business meetings. However, the response is somewhat one-sided. While you acknowledge the environmental context, the essay focuses almost exclusively on the disadvantages of reducing air travel. To reach a higher band, you should provide a more balanced exploration of the environmental benefits before refuting them, which would demonstrate a more nuanced engagement with the prompt's requirement to weigh the two sides.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction and distinct body paragraphs. Each paragraph focuses on a central theme, such as personal convenience or business necessity. You use cohesive devices like 'For example,' 'However,' and 'For such individuals' to link ideas effectively. The progression of arguments is easy to follow. To improve, you could vary your transition signals further, as some of the paragraph openings feel slightly repetitive. Additionally, ensuring that the link between the environmental impact and the counter-arguments is more explicitly stated at the start of each paragraph would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'imperative,' 'not feasible,' and 'advancements in technology' are used appropriately. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. However, the range is somewhat limited for a higher band; you rely on fairly standard collocations. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated academic vocabulary or idiomatic expressions related to environmental policy or global connectivity to demonstrate a more flexible and precise command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which ensures that your message is communicated without difficulty. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'switching through buses,' which is slightly unnatural, and some phrasing could be more concise. Your control over punctuation and tense is generally good. To reach a higher band, aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already achieved.

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

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