Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02
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)
In recent year, Some people think that they have reduce or completely stop the use of flight for travelling, This essay will explain the advantages are more which reduces the Air pollution and noise pollution and also improve the health of wild life, however it will negatively impact on local business.
Firstly, flight use extensive amount of fuel which releases harmful gases like emission of Co2 and other green house gases which is responsible for environmental crisis. if individual stop using flight especilly traveling to a short distance which also reduce the noise pollution as a result it prevent the problem like hearing loss head ache and they can have peaceful sleep. Decreasing use of airlines shows positive impact on biodiversity because the noise of flight also hamper the life of wild creatures.
In contrast, use of flight to travel long distance is reduce which directly affect the international business because some business need to face to face interaction. some people try to travel using train then it may take to much time. Nowadays people are exploring different countries to go for a trip for instance they directly impact on local business of tourist attraction place which cause the financial problem as well as directly impact on government revenue and reduce the income from tax.
In conclusion, some people try to reduce the use of flight which can lead some positive impact on environment like it reduce the pollution and improved mental-health of people as well as wild life. It also has some drawback that it reduces business which link with overseas countries and also largely influence on government revenue.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for business. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you state your position in the introduction, the arguments remain quite general. For instance, the point about 'local business' is mentioned but lacks specific examples or deeper analysis of how this trade-off functions. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed reasoning or concrete illustrations. The conclusion effectively summarizes your position, but the overall response would benefit from more depth in the body paragraphs to fully explore the implications of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'In contrast', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in your argument. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Some transitions feel mechanical, and the logical connection between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the environmental impact and the business impact is abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your main points clearly. You use some topic-specific terms such as 'environmental crisis', 'biodiversity', and 'greenhouse gases'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'In recent year' (should be 'In recent years') and 'face to face interaction' (should be 'face-to-face interaction'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and you rely on simple descriptors. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and ensure that your word choices are grammatically and contextually accurate.
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 the flow of reading. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'some business need'), article usage (e.g., 'the use of flight'), and tense consistency. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma splices and missing periods. While your meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and verb forms will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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