Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
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)
Some individuals have lowered or completely stopped how frequently they travel by air each year. It may benefit the environment by less carbon emission and reduce in atmospheric temperature but the business industry would be at disadvantage because flying by air saves time and money as well.
Reduced number of flights can greatly reduce the amount of fuel that we burn. The emission of harmful gases causes severe air pollution that damages the ecosystem. This smoke goes up in atmosphere traps heat which in turn creates heatwave in that region. Recently many European countries faced severe heatwave that was never recorded before and it is mainly due to air pollution that causes weather conditions to change drastically.
On the other hand, Business individuals cannot afford to reduce or completely stop using air travel. Those who have business in multiple countries travel through air for important meetings or business deals. Furthermore, Many Planes carry stock of a product medical equipment and other essential goods from one country to another in less time than any other means of travel.
In conclusion, those who travel alot by air if reduce the number of time they travel it would greatly benefit our environment but business individuals cannot afford to stop using or reduce number of time they travel.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both environmental benefits and the disadvantages for businesses. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of development. While the main ideas are relevant, they are presented in a somewhat superficial manner. The position is clear, but the lack of word count prevents a more thorough exploration of the arguments, leading to a restricted response. To improve, you should expand on your examples and provide more detailed reasoning for each point to ensure the essay meets the length requirement and demonstrates a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each side of the argument, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'On the other hand', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, but the limited length makes the overall structure feel somewhat underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more fluid and sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'business individuals' and 'reduce the number of times'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'business industry' and 'less carbon emission' (which should be 'fewer carbon emissions'). To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental science and global commerce, and focus on using more precise collocations to express your ideas more naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'This smoke goes up in atmosphere' (missing articles), 'creates heatwave' (singular/plural agreement), and 'travel alot' (spelling). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable and occur throughout the text. To improve, focus on mastering article usage, subject-verb agreement, and sentence punctuation. Increasing your control over complex structures will also help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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