Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-27
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)
In recent years, many people are choosing to fly less or stop flying completely due to environmental concerns. I believe the environmental benefits of this trend clearly outweigh the disadvantages.
On the one hand, reducing flights has some drawbacks for people and businesses. For individuals, it becomes difficult to meet family living abroad or to travel for holidays. For example, many Pakistanis living in UK cannot visit Lahore easily without flights. For businesses, companies depend on air travel for international meetings and importing goods. If executives cannot travel, business deals may be delayed and tourism industry in countries like Pakistan will suffer financial loss.
On the other hand, the environmental advantages are much more significant. Firstly, airplanes produce huge amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases which cause global warming and air pollution. If people fly less, air quality will improve and climate change can be controlled. For instance, during COVID-19 when flights stopped, the air in Lahore became much cleaner. Secondly, less flying encourages eco-friendly alternatives such as trains and buses which use less fuel. This will save natural resources for future generations.
In my opinion, although there are minor inconveniences for individuals and businesses, the long-term benefit for the planet is more important. People can use video calls for business and alternative transport for short distances. Governments should also improve train systems to support this change.
To conclude, I think protecting the environment is more valuable than the temporary disadvantages of flying less, and everyone should consider reducing air travel.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, taking a clear and well-supported position that the environmental benefits of reducing air travel outweigh the disadvantages. The student covers both sides of the argument by discussing the negative impacts on individuals and businesses, such as family separation and economic loss in tourism, as well as the positive environmental outcomes like reduced carbon dioxide emissions and cleaner air during COVID-19. Ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as mentioning the air quality in Lahore, ensuring the overall task requirement is fulfilled effectively, aligning with a Band 7 level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The paragraphs are structured appropriately, moving logically from the introduction to the drawbacks, the benefits, a counter-balancing opinion paragraph, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'Firstly,' and 'Secondly' are used purposefully to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, and referencing is mostly clear and controlled, earning a solid Band 7 for coherence and cohesion.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common and topic-specific items such as 'greenhouse gases,' 'eco-friendly alternatives,' and 'financial loss.' While some word choices and phrasing could be more precise—for instance, missing articles like 'living in the UK' or 'the tourism industry'—the vocabulary is generally appropriate and effectively communicates the writer's ideas without hindering understanding. This performance sits comfortably within the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range, warranting a Band 6.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The essay features a healthy mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures ('If people fly less...') and subordinate clauses. There are a few grammatical inaccuracies, particularly missing articles ('many Pakistanis living in UK' and 'tourism industry in countries') and minor pluralisation slips ('huge amount of carbon dioxide' instead of 'huge amounts'). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not impede communication. The control of grammar and punctuation is good enough to reflect a Band 6.5 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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