Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-30
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)
It can be argued that the reduction in number of people flying can be advantageous for the environment. Although reducing the number of times people fly can be bad for individuals and businesses, it will definitely benefit the environment.
Firstly, the lesser the people fly every year will lead to the establishment of less number of flights, eventually causing less air pollution. Therefore, it will alleviate the damages caused by air pollution. For example, the number of flights introduced by the airlines may reduce if the number of people flying reduces. Significant decrease in the number of flights will lead to a decrease in the air pollution. Another advantage is that the reduction in flying will eventually reduce the amount of fuel consumed, which can help in preserving the natural sources of energy.
Secondly, talking of the disadvantages, the reduction in flying may act as a bad actor for business individuals. However, people can manage their work through digital communication tools such as online meetings and emails instead of flying. For instance, some people fly to other places for business reasons, those people can avoid flying in work cases which are not crucial and can manage their work remotely. People who have decided to stop flying may be prone to serious damages to their businesses, but they can take care of it if working remotely is possible.
In conclusion, the advantages such as alleviation of air pollution and less use of fuels outweigh the disadvantages. The disadvantages such as the detrimental effects of the reduction in flying caused to businesses can be taken care using the digital tools.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages of reducing air travel, taking a clear position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The ideas are generally relevant, covering air pollution, fuel consumption, and business impacts. However, some arguments remain somewhat limited and under-developed, relying on repetitive points rather than expanding with deeper analysis or concrete real-world examples. For instance, the discussion on business impacts suggests using digital tools like online meetings, which is a good point, but it lacks further extension to secure a higher band. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, placing it firmly at Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion, along with distinct body paragraphs signaled by transitional markers such as 'Firstly' and 'Secondly'. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, expressions like 'the lesser the people fly every year will lead to...' exhibit awkward transitions and referencing issues. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate advantages and disadvantages, but the logical progression within the body paragraphs occasionally stalls due to repetitive phrasing and imprecise cohesive devices. This performance corresponds well to the Band 6 descriptors.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'environmental benefits', 'air pollution', 'natural sources of energy', and 'digital communication tools'. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. Phrases like 'bad actor for business individuals' and 'detrimental effects of the reduction in flying caused to businesses' feel unnatural and awkward. Furthermore, repetitive use of basic words like 'reduce' and 'flying' restricts the lexical variety, preventing the score from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is minimally sufficient for communication, meriting a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures such as conditional and concessive clauses (e.g., 'Although reducing the number of times people fly can be bad for individuals and businesses...'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'the lesser the people fly every year will lead to the establishment of less number of flights', which contains comparative errors ('the lesser the people fly' instead of 'fewer people flying') and quantifier misuse ('less number' instead of 'fewer flights'). Punctuation is mostly acceptable, but grammatical slips persist and occasionally strain the reader, aligning with Band 5.5.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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