Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In recent year , some people have chosen to reduce the number of times they travel by air or to stop flying altogether because of environmental concerns.Although this decision brings some certain drawbacks for individuals and businesses , I believe that the environmental benefits are greater than the disadvantages.

One major advantages of reducing air travel is that it can help decrease carbon emissions.Airplanes consume large amount of fossil fuels , Which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change . If fewer people fly , the demand of plane tickets and aviation fuel will decrease , potentially reducing the industry's environmental impact . Moreover , people can choose alternative forms of transformation , such as trains , buses , or electric vehicles , for shorter journeys . For example travelling by train between nearby cities generally produces fewer emission than taking a flight .

However , reducing air travel can have several disadvantages for individuals . People who have relatives or friends living in other countries may find it difficult to maintain close relationships if they cannot travel frequently.Similarly , international students and workers may have fewer opportunities to visit their families. Businesses can also be affected because many companies depend on air travel for international meetings , conferences and business expansion .For example , a company with offices in several countries may need its employees to travel abroad to meet client.

In conclusion , although reducing air travel may cause inconvenience for individuals and businesses , its contribute to reducing environmental damage is more significant .Therefore , i believe that people should reduce unnecessary flights while continuing to fly when travel is genuinely necessary.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, ultimately forming a clear position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The introduction establishes this stance immediately. The body paragraphs effectively explore distinct aspects of the issue: paragraph two focuses on emissions and transport alternatives, while paragraph three outlines personal inconveniences and corporate challenges. Although the development is generally logical and relevant, the points are somewhat generalized and could have been extended with deeper explanation or more precise real-world examples. Nevertheless, the main requirements of the task are well covered, and a coherent argument is maintained throughout the essay. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 7 descriptor.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organization. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from an introduction to environmental benefits, individual and business disadvantages, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are utilized to connect ideas, such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In conclusion'. However, there are noticeable mechanical errors in punctuation and spacing around commas and full stops throughout the text (e.g., leaving a space before a comma like 'year ,' or 'environment .'). While referencing and paragraphing are generally handled well enough to ensure the overall flow remains understandable, these mechanical formatting flaws prevent the essay from reaching a higher band score for cohesion. Thus, a score of 6.5 is appropriate.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Words and phrases such as 'carbon emissions', 'greenhouse gases', 'aviation fuel', and 'business expansion' show that the writer can employ topic-specific language effectively. There are, however, some lexical and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'transformation' instead of 'transportation' and 'emission' instead of 'emissions'. Furthermore, phrases like 'bring some certain drawbacks' sound slightly unnatural. The vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly, and attempts at less common items are mostly successful despite occasional minor slips. This places the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('If fewer people fly, the demand... will decrease') and concessive clauses ('Although this decision brings...'). However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several recurring errors with subject-verb agreement and plurals, such as 'One major advantages' instead of 'advantage', 'large amount of fossil fuels' instead of 'amounts', and 'its contribute' instead of 'its contribution'. Additionally, the lowercase 'i' is used for the pronoun 'I' in the final paragraph. Despite these flaws, the errors rarely impede overall communication, supporting a Band 6.0 score.

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