Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-20

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 5.5)

Some people have decided to reduce the air travel every year or to quit flying altogether. Personally, I think that there are more disadvantages for citizens and organizations than the environmental benefits. In this essay, I will discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of quitting air travel.

Firstly, nowadays majority of the city residents have decided to reduce air travel due to its environmental benefits. One of the main positives of this is that it may have a positive effect on the climate. For example, avoiding the air travel might reduce air pollution caused by airplanes. Carbon emissions are harmful which are the main cause of pollution. If people use trains and buses instead of airplanes, then it would be beneficial for the environment.

On the other hand, there are many drawbacks for adults and larger companies. A major drawback include that people would not be able to meet their relatives who live abroad. For instance, avoiding air travel can make international flights difficult as there may be no other option because some countries cannot be reached by road and flying might be the only practical option.

Furthermore, business related meetings could be hard to manage as most of the meetings are held internationally in some of the companies. For instance, many conferences in a business are held abroad which involves meetings with clients. Additionally, air travel saves time and helps in covering larger distances in a short time. Therefore, in my opinion it could be beneficial in numerous ways helping people in connecting with their relatives as well as in business related travels.

In conclusion, the drawbacks eventually outweigh the benefits, particularly when focusing on the broader aspects of air travels. From my perspective, I believe that people should prefer travelling by air instead of cars and buses as it saves time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, taking a clear position that the disadvantages outweigh the environmental benefits. The ideas presented are relevant, such as climate impacts, family visits, and international business meetings. However, some arguments lack deep development and remain somewhat general. For example, mentioning that 'carbon emissions are harmful' is a basic statement that is not fully extended with specific data or broader implications. The conclusion also introduces a slightly shifting or confusing point about preferring air travel over cars, which slightly detracts from the focused progression of the main argument. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, fitting the criteria for Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is generally coherent with a clear overall arrangement. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion', though their usage can sometimes feel a bit mechanical or formulaic. Referencing and progression are mostly clear, but the logical connection between sentences occasionally feels abrupt. For instance, the transition from business conferences to time-saving aspects in the fourth paragraph lacks smooth integration. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, supporting a Band 6.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'environmental benefits', 'carbon emissions', 'international flights', and 'practical option'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally marred by slight inaccuracies in word choice or phrasing, such as 'reduce the air travel every year' (missing article or incorrect noun form) and 'business related meetings'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. This performance aligns well with the descriptors for Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic structures and attempting complex constructions like conditional sentences ('If people use trains...'). However, grammatical errors are frequent enough to be noticeable. Examples include article errors ('nowadays majority of the city residents'), preposition misuse ('avoiding the air travel'), and minor issues with pluralization ('air travels'). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, as the intended meaning remains clear throughout the essay. This balance of mixed structures and persistent non-systematic errors places the grammar solidly at Band 6.0.

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

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