Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In recent years, there has been growing debate over whether a reduction in number of people flying or group flying benefits enviommental developments or detrimental for 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 solo 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 lower 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 abroad may miss the chance to travel, jeopardizing their long-term prospects. 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 render it a beneficial trend. Therefore, it is crucial that the government should enact stringent legislation to make sure the flights do not peak to the level where individuals come to harm.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. The position is clear throughout the essay and is reinforced in the conclusion. Ideas are extended with relevant explanations and examples, such as the mention of France restricting short-haul domestic flights. However, there is a recurring confusion in terminology throughout the essay where the student uses the phrase 'solo flights' when they clearly mean 'flights by individuals' or general commercial flights (e.g., 'fewer flights and solo flights'). This slight imprecision in addressing the specific nuances of the prompt slightly limits the full development of ideas, placing this criterion at Band 6.5, rounded to 6.0 based on standard band parameters.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear overall progression and is divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are generally used appropriately, such as 'For instance,' 'Moreover,' and 'Furthermore.' However, referencing and transitions are occasionally affected by mechanical phrasing or minor awkwardness, such as 'lower and solo flights that directly impact individuals and businesses.' Paragraphing is used sufficiently, but the connection between sentences within paragraphs could sometimes be smoother to achieve a higher band level. Overall, the organizational structure is coherent and easy to follow, supporting a solid Band 6.5, which aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors for adequate progression and manageable cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'greenhouse gases,' 'stringent legislation,' and 'long-term prospects.' However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'benefits enviommental developments or detrimental' in the introduction, and the repeated misuse of 'solo flights' to mean individual travel or commercial flights. Spelling errors like 'enviommental' also occur. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the lexical score from reaching the higher bands, aligning best with a Band 6.0 for adequate range and control with some errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses (e.g., 'While there are certain drawbacks... I believe...' and 'a student who wins a scholarship abroad may miss the chance...'). There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings present, such as 'reduction in number of people flying' (missing an article), 'benefits enviommental developments or detrimental' (faulty parallel structure), and 'make sure the flights do not peak to the level where individuals come to harm.' Despite these errors, the complex structures are generally controlled well enough that communication is rarely impeded. This fits comfortably within the Band 6 descriptors.

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

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