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 that the environmental advantages outweigh the drawbacks. The writer successfully highlights multiple facets of the issue, such as tourism losses, unemployment in airlines, and global warming. Ideas are extended and well supported with logical explanations and examples, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from an introduction to the disadvantages, then the advantages, and a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively and flexibly, as seen with transition words like 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall progression of ideas is very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common lexical items such as 'carbon emissions', 'global warming', 'financial losses', and 'tourism-related businesses'. While there are a few minor lexical choices or slight awkwardness (e.g., 'tourists often visit countries for tourism' being slightly tautological), the language remains natural and fully adequate to convey precise meanings without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses ('if fewer people choose to fly each year, the amount... can be reduced') and concessive clauses ('Although reducing air travel may create...'). Grammatical control is generally strong with a high proportion of error-free sentences. Minor slips, such as spelling 'finacial' or slight prepositional awkwardness, occur only occasionally and do not impede comprehension, fitting comfortably into Band 7.

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

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