Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

In recent years, some people have deliberately reduced their air travel or abandoned flying altogether because of its environmental impact. Although this choice can create inconvenience for individuals and pose challenges for businesses that depend on international mobility, I believe the environmental benefits of reducing air travel outweigh these disadvantages.

The strongest argument in favour of this development is the reduction in aviation-related emissions. Air travel is a particularly carbon-intensive form of transportation, especially when compared with travelling by train or other forms of ground transport over shorter distances. If people choose alternatives to flying whenever practical, the demand for aviation fuel could fall, thereby reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. A widespread change in travel habits could also put pressure on airlines to develop more fuel-efficient aircraft and accelerate investment in low-carbon technologies. In this sense, individual decisions not to fly can contribute to a broader shift towards more sustainable transportation.

However, restricting air travel can have significant consequences for individuals. Flying allows people to visit distant relatives, study abroad, attend important events and experience other cultures within a reasonable amount of time. For people with family members living on different continents, avoiding flights altogether may make maintaining close relationships considerably more difficult. There are also situations in which alternative transport is simply impractical. Travelling from one country to another by land or sea may require several additional days, making international travel inaccessible to people with limited time or financial resources.

Businesses can face similar difficulties. International companies often need employees to meet clients, inspect overseas facilities, attend conferences or negotiate major contracts in person. While video conferencing has replaced some business trips, it cannot completely reproduce the value of face-to-face interaction, particularly when trust and long-term commercial relationships are involved. A company that drastically reduces employee travel may therefore lose opportunities or become less competitive in international markets.

In conclusion, limiting air travel may reduce personal freedom and create difficulties for internationally active businesses, but these disadvantages can often be mitigated through technology and alternative forms of transportation. Given the urgent need to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, I believe the environmental benefits of flying less substantially outweigh the drawbacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the environmental benefits of reducing air travel and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, presenting a clear position throughout. The introduction outlines the writer's stance, which is then supported by well-developed arguments in the body paragraphs. For instance, the discussion on aviation-related emissions and pressure on airlines provides a solid environmental case, while the exploration of maintaining family relationships and corporate competitiveness effectively addresses the counter-arguments. Ideas are extended with relevant explanations rather than merely stated, and the conclusion neatly summarises the main points while reinforcing the initial position. The response meets all the requirements of Band 8.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the environmental advantages in the second paragraph to the individual and business drawbacks in the third and fourth paragraphs respectively. Cohesive devices such as 'Although this choice', 'If people choose alternatives', 'However', and 'While video conferencing' are used flexibly and appropriately without being overly mechanical. Referencing throughout the text is clear and tracking of ideas is easy to follow. Paragraphing is skilfully managed, contributing significantly to the overall unity of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The writer uses a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic discussion on environmental and economic issues. Less common lexical items and collocations are used skilfully, such as 'carbon-intensive form of transportation', 'greenhouse-gas emissions', 'international mobility', and 'long-term commercial relationships'. Word choice is generally precise, and collocation is natural throughout the response. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies, but these do not impede communication in any way. The lexical control comfortably aligns with a Band 7.5 to 8.0 level, supported by precise topic-specific terminology.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student displays a wide range of grammatical structures with a high degree of accuracy. Complex sentences are used frequently and naturally, such as conditional clauses ('If people choose alternatives to flying whenever practical, the demand... could fall') and participial phrases ('making international travel inaccessible to people with limited time or financial resources'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled with precision. Minor slips or awkward phrasings are extremely rare and do not interfere with the flow or comprehension of the text, demonstrating strong control over complex sentence forms.

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