Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-26

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)

In recent years, some individuals have chosen to fly less frequently or to stop flying entirely. I believe that the environmental advantages of this trend outweigh the drawbacks for both people and businesses.

One major benefit is the positive impact on the environment. Reducing air travel leads to lower carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming and climate change. For instance, if millions of people reduce their flights, the overall greenhouse gases released by the aviation industry would decrease significantly. Furthermore, fewer flights also mean less noise pollution and improved air quality in cities near airports. Therefore, this change can help mitigate environmental damage caused by frequent flying.

On the other hand, some may argue that limiting flights creates challenges for businesses and personal convenience. Companies in the tourism and airline sectors could lose revenue, and people might find it harder to travel for work or family reasons. For example, business professionals who need to attend international meetings might have to rely on slower alternatives, such as trains or online conferences. Nevertheless, technological solutions like virtual meetings are becoming more effective and widely available, reducing the reliance on air travel.

In conclusion, although there are some inconveniences for individuals and businesses, the environmental benefits of reducing air travel are more significant and necessary for protecting the planet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student has attempted to address all parts of the prompt, expressing a clear position that the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Ideas such as carbon emissions, noise pollution, and economic impacts on tourism are introduced. However, the response suffers from a significant drawback regarding length, as it contains only 217 words, falling short of the 250-word minimum requirement. Because of this under-length condition, the ideas remain somewhat undeveloped and are not extended as thoroughly as required for higher bands. While the stance is maintained throughout, the lack of adequate word count and subsequent depth pulls the Task Achievement score down to a 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing both sides of the argument, and a concluding summary. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as environmental benefits in the second paragraph and counter-arguments in the third. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, with transitional phrases like 'One major benefit,' 'Furthermore,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' guiding the reader through the text. However, referencing and transitions are at times slightly mechanical. Despite these minor limitations, the logical flow is easy to follow, making this a solid performance that fits comfortably within the Band 6 descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully employing terms such as 'carbon emissions,' 'mitigate environmental damage,' 'revenue,' and 'virtual meetings.' There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, and meaning is communicated clearly throughout without major blockages. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive in places (e.g., repeating 'reduce' and 'flights'), and there is a lack of more sophisticated lexical items or idiomatic phrasing. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, preventing misunderstandings. This aligns well with the criteria for Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic sentence structures and using complex clauses effectively in places, such as 'For instance, if millions of people reduce their flights...' and 'business professionals who need to attend international meetings...'. Grammatical accuracy is reasonably high, with many error-free sentences present in the text, and punctuation is handled correctly. While the variety of complex structures is somewhat constrained, the errors are infrequent and do not impede communication at all. This performance meets the requirements for a Band 6.5.

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

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