Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-16

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 7.0)

In recent years, some people have chosen to reduce the number of flights they take each year or to stop flying altogether in order to protect the environment. Although this decision can create certain disadvantages for individuals and businesses, I believe that the environmental benefits of reducing air travel outweigh these drawbacks.

One major benefit of flying less frequently is the reduction in carbon emissions. Airplanes consume large amounts of fossil fuels, which contribute to climate change and air pollution. If more people choose alternative forms of transport, such as trains or buses, the overall environmental impact of transportation could be reduced. For example, people travelling between major cities within the same country can often use trains instead of short-haul flights, which can be a more environmentally friendly option. Reducing unnecessary flights can therefore contribute to efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

However, avoiding air travel can cause difficulties for both individuals and businesses. For individuals, flying may be the fastest and most practical way to visit family members who live in another country or to travel to distant destinations. Businesses may also suffer because international flights allow employees to attend meetings, conferences and establish relationships with overseas clients. For instance, a company that operates in several countries may need its employees to travel internationally in order to maintain effective communication with foreign partners. Consequently, completely stopping air travel could reduce business opportunities and personal connections.

Nevertheless, these disadvantages can be reduced through alternatives such as video conferencing and online meetings. Businesses can conduct many discussions remotely, while individuals can use digital communication to stay in contact with people abroad. Therefore, it is not necessary for everyone to stop flying completely; reducing unnecessary journeys can provide environmental benefits while allowing essential travel to continue.

In conclusion, although reducing air travel may create some inconvenience for individuals and businesses, I believe the environmental advantages are greater. A sensible reduction in unnecessary flights, combined with greater use of digital communication and alternative transport, can help protect the environment without eliminating essential travel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate has fully addressed all parts of the prompt, exploring both the environmental benefits of reducing air travel and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. A clear position is stated in the introduction and maintained consistently throughout the essay. The ideas are well developed and extended logically, such as discussing specific scenarios like short-haul flights versus train travel and the impact of missed international meetings. Examples like 'people travelling between major cities within the same country can often use trains instead of short-haul flights' effectively support the arguments. The response meets all the requirements of a Band 7 or Band 8 level, demonstrating a strong grasp of the task requirements without any off-topic tangents.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and a smooth progression of ideas throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction, moving to environmental benefits, then addressing disadvantages, offering solutions, and concluding effectively. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'One major benefit', 'However', 'Nevertheless', and 'In conclusion' are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is managed skilfully, with each main point receiving its own well-structured paragraph. Referencing is clear and precise, ensuring that the relationships between ideas are always transparent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for precision in discussing environmental and business topics. Less common items such as 'greenhouse gas emissions', 'short-haul flights', 'video conferencing', and 'remotely' are used accurately. Word choice and collocations are generally natural, as seen in 'maintain effective communication' and 'environmental impact of transportation'. While the vocabulary is not overly complex or rare throughout, it is precise, functionally flexible, and entirely adequate for communicating the arguments clearly with only very minor or occasional limitations in range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating conditional logic, participial phrases, and dependent clauses (e.g., 'If more people choose alternative forms of transport..., the overall environmental impact... could be reduced'). The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled well. There are occasional minor flaws, but they do not impede communication or strain the reader. Control of grammar is strong, and the variety of sentence types demonstrates a solid command of English syntax appropriate for an upper-intermediate or advanced level.

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