Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29

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 years, there has been growing debate over whether a reduction in the number of people flying and group flying benefits environmental developments or harms individuals and businesses. While there are certain drawbacks to fewer flights and solo flights, I believe the advantages far outweigh them.

One of the main benefits of decreased flights and single-handed flights is that it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, as airplanes burn large amounts of fossil fuels and release high levels of greenhouse gases, so fewer flights directly slow down global climate change. This is particularly important for improving breathing conditions in nearby communities. For instance, France restricted short-haul domestic flights as train travel was an alternative. This policy resulted in fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, cleaner air reduces the chances of asthma and also lessens the rate of heart diseases in urban areas near flight hubs.

However, there are also some drawbacks to fewer and solo flights that directly impact individuals and businesses, such as loss of personal and career opportunities for individuals. This can be problematic because it limits global mobility, making it harder for students to get international education, specialized training, and overseas jobs. For example, a student who wins a scholarship for abroad may miss the chance to travel, hurting their long-term path. Furthermore, it harms business growth because many island nations and developing regions rely almost entirely on international tourism to survive. When people choose not to fly, there will be job losses, poverty, and business closures.

Taking everything into account, despite the disadvantages mentioned, I firmly believe that the advantages of fewer flights make it a positive development. Therefore, it is crucial that the government should impose laws and regulations to make sure the flights should not peaked to the level where individuals get harm.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, presenting a clear position throughout. The student considers both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, as seen in paragraphs discussing carbon dioxide emissions and global mobility/tourism. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of France restricting short-haul domestic flights. However, there is some minor over-generalization and repetition in phrasing (such as 'fewer flights and solo flights' or 'single-handed flights', which is an unnatural collocation). Overall, the task is well addressed, warranting a solid Band 7.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving from the introduction to environmental benefits, then disadvantages, and finally a concluding stance. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'For instance', 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Taking everything into account'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. Nevertheless, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and some cohesive phrasing feels a bit mechanical. Cohesion is managed well overall, matching the descriptor for Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task and attempts less common items, such as 'greenhouse gases', 'global mobility', and 'island nations'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and odd collocations, notably the recurring use of 'single-handed flights' and 'solo flights' to mean individual passenger flights, which is incorrect in this context. There are also slight awkwardnesses like 'long-term path' instead of 'career path' or 'future prospects'. These vocabulary choices place the response firmly in the Band 6 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over structures such as conditional and relative clauses ('While there are certain drawbacks...', 'a student who wins a scholarship...'). There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, particularly in the conclusion: 'make sure the flights should not peaked to the level where individuals get harm' contains tense and word-form errors ('peaked' instead of 'peak', 'get harm' instead of 'come to harm' or 'are harmed'). Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, and the majority of sentences are understandable, aligning with Band 6.5.

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