Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Some people have decided to take flights less frequently or avoid air travel completely. This decision has many environmental benefits that outweigh the limitations related to individuals and businesses.

One of the main advantages for the environment is that avoiding air travel can reduce carbon emissions. Aviation contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions which subsequently affects air quality. If air trvel is reduced less fuel will be consumed and ultimately help combat climate variations as well as air pollution. Moreover, reduced air pollution restores the ozone layer quality. For instance, if peple choose to travel by train or road instead of aeroplanes it will reduce carbn footprint that promotes a safe environment and healthy lives.

Avoiding air travel can affect individuals by increasing travelling duration and making it less convenient for them if they tavel by other means. Furthermore, it would be difficult for people who need to travel internationally for family visits, education or medical treatment. It would also reduce travel opportunities leading to limited globalization.

Same is the case with businesses that are likely to suffer owing to this development. Many companies and organizations depend on air travel to visit for meetings, conferences or business expansions. No air travel would limit this opportunity. Additionally, businesses like tourism, airlines, airports and hotels will also lose customers. If tourism is reduced there is a chance of job losses for people employed in this sector.

In conclusion, although reduced air travel has real disadvantages for individuals and businesses, the long-term environmental benefits are greater, because reducing emissions benefits society as a whole and future generations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, ultimately presenting a clear overall position in the conclusion. The ideas are relevant and supported with explanations, such as mentioning carbon emissions, ozone layer protection, and the impact on tourism and international travel. However, some of the supporting points remain somewhat general and could have been further extended with more specific examples. For instance, the reference to family visits and medical treatment touches upon important individual concerns, but the development stops short of fully exploring the nuances. Overall, the task is successfully and clearly managed, aligning well with the Band 7 criteria.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from an introduction to environmental benefits, individual disadvantages, business impacts, and a summary conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For instance', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. While referencing is generally clear, occasional mechanical transitions prevent the response from achieving a higher band. Overall, the structural framework is robust, and the flow of ideas is easy to follow, making this a solid performance for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision with terms like 'carbon emissions', 'greenhouse gas emissions', 'globalization', and 'long-term environmental benefits'. There are, however, several noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the text, such as 'trvel' instead of travel, 'peple' instead of people, 'carbn footprint' instead of carbon footprint, and 'Same is the case with' which is somewhat informal. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they highlight a lack of careful proofreading and restrict the lexical score to Band 6, as the vocabulary usage shows inconsistency in accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating conditional structures and relative clauses, such as 'If air trvel is reduced less fuel will be consumed' and 'Many companies and organizations depend on air travel to visit for meetings'. There are, however, several grammatical errors and punctuation oversights, including missing commas after introductory subordinate clauses (e.g., 'If tourism is reduced there is a chance') and spelling/typographical slips. While these errors occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to grasp the intended meaning without difficulty. This balance of structures and error frequency fits the Band 6 descriptor well.

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