Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-19

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)

Some people have decided to reduce or even stop flying in order to protect the environment. While this development has clear environmental benefits, it also brings disadvantages for individuals and businesses. I believe that reducing flights is beneficial, but stopping them completely is unrealistic.

limiting flights can negatively affect individuals by restricting their freedom to travel. Many people rely on air travel to visit family abroad or to pursue education and work opportunities overseas. Consequently, reducing flights too drastically may cause emotional stress and limit personal growth, making life less convenient for ordinary people. In addition, businesses may suffer economic losses when employees or customers reduce air travel. International companies depend on global mobility to maintain partnerships and competitiveness. Therefore, a sharp decline in flights could weaken industries such as tourism and aviation, slowing down economic growth and reducing job opportunities.

Having said that, reducing the number of flights helps the environment by lowering carbon emissions. Airplanes are among the most polluting forms of transport, so fewer flights mean less greenhouse gas released. As a result, this reduction slows climate change and ensures healthier living conditions for future generations. For example, France restricted short-haul flights where train alternatives were available, and this policy led to measurable decreases in national emissions.

In summary, reducing flights is a reasonable and effective way to protect the environment by cutting carbon emissions. Nevertheless, stopping flights altogether would create serious problems for individuals and businesses. Therefore, the environmental benefits of reducing flights outweigh the disadvantages, but a balanced approach is needed rather than a complete ban.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout. The introduction establishes the writer's stance that reducing flights is beneficial while a complete ban is unrealistic. The body paragraphs thoughtfully weigh the negative impacts on individuals and businesses against the positive environmental outcomes. For instance, the student notes that 'limiting flights can negatively affect individuals by restricting their freedom to travel' and provides a concrete example regarding France restricting short-haul flights to support the environmental argument. The ideas are extended and supported well, aligning comfortably with the Band 7 requirements, as all parts of the prompt are addressed with a consistent, clear position and well-developed arguments.

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 the introduction to the disadvantages, then to the environmental benefits, and finally to a balanced conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Consequently', 'In addition', 'Having said that', and 'In summary' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. While the cohesive mechanisms are sometimes a bit standard rather than flexible, the overall arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, satisfying the criteria for Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for flexibility and precision, employing appropriate collocation such as 'global mobility', 'carbon emissions', 'greenhouse gas', and 'economic growth'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style, for example, 'restricting their freedom to travel' and 'measurable decreases'. There are occasional slight awkwardness or general word choices, but overall the vocabulary is adequate and allows the message to be communicated clearly without strain, fitting the Band 6.5 to 7.0 profile well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or participial clauses such as 'While this development has clear environmental benefits, it also brings disadvantages...' and 'Airplanes are among the most polluting forms of transport, so fewer flights mean less greenhouse gas released.' There are frequent error-free sentences, and control of grammar and punctuation is generally sound. Minor errors occur occasionally, such as the lowercase 'limiting' at the start of the second paragraph, but these do not impede communication. The control demonstrated places this firmly in the Band 7 category.

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