Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14

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 6.5)

It is argued that some people have decided to reduce the number of flights they take each year or stop travelling by air altogether. Although reducing air travel may create some difficulties for individuals and businesses, I believe that the environmental benefits of this development are far greater.

One significant disadvantage of reducing air travel is that it will affect a large number of businesses and individuals' well-being. Businesses may face difficulty in organizing international meetings and business travels around the world. Moreover, it may have negative impacts on economy of a country by losing customers using airlines and tourists often visit countries for tourism. In fact, it will lead to unemployment for many employees who work in airlines or who provide facilities and accommodation to tourists. For example, hotels or companies that organise trips and provide tourism packages for individulas who have a strong desire to explore different cultures and traditions throughout the world may suffer significant finacial losses.

One of the major advantages is that reducing air travel can bring significant benefits to the environment. Airplanes produce a large amount of carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming and climate change. Therefore, if fewer people choose to fly each year, the amount of harmful gases released into the atmosphere can be reduced. Moreover, this development may encourage people to use other forms of transport, such as trains, which generally cause less pollution. Although reducing flights may negatively affect airlines, hotels and tourism-related businesses, I believe protecting the environment is more important in the long term.

In conclusion, although reducing air travel may cause financial problems for airlines, hotels and tourism companies and make international business meetings more difficult, I believe that the environmental benefits are greater. Lower carbon emissions and reduced pollution can help protect the environment for future generations, making this development a positive one overall.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the disadvantages for individuals and businesses and the environmental benefits of reducing air travel, ultimately presenting a clear and well-developed position. The introduction outlines the writer's stance, and both body paragraphs effectively explore the two sides of the issue. The negative impacts on tourism, hotels, and airlines are illustrated with relevant examples such as holiday packages and financial losses. Similarly, the environmental advantages are logically linked to carbon emissions and climate change. Ideas are well-extended throughout, demonstrating a strong understanding of the task requirements. The response meets all criteria for a Band 7.0 by covering all parts of the prompt with a clear position and well-supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response features a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to the disadvantages, the advantages, and finally a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In fact', 'For example', and 'Therefore' are used appropriately to link ideas and signal transitions, though they occasionally tilt toward standard formulas. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the distinct arguments logically. Referencing is generally clear, and the overall arrangement maintains good readability from start to finish, comfortably aligning with the Band 7.0 descriptors for logical flow and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task with some flexibility and precision, employing appropriate thematic terms such as 'carbon emissions', 'global warming', 'accommodation', and 'financial losses'. There are successful attempts to use less common items with general awareness of style and collocation, such as 'harmful gases released into the atmosphere'. While the vocabulary is adequate and communicates ideas effectively, there are occasional minor lexical choices or slips, such as 'impacts on economy of a country' (missing article) and 'individulas' (spelling slip). Overall, the lexical range comfortably supports clear communication at a Band 6.5 to 7.0 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures alongside simpler sentence forms, such as conditional structures ('if fewer people choose to fly each year, the amount of harmful gases... can be reduced') and concessive clauses ('Although reducing air travel may create...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and control of punctuation is generally sound. Minor errors do persist, such as 'tourists often visit countries for tourism' (stylistic awkwardness/redundancy) and the missing article in 'impacts on economy', but these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The grammatical control and structural variety match the Band 7.0 descriptors well.

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