Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-02

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 7.5)

Some people have decided to reduce or even stop flying in order to protect the environment. While this development has clear environmental benefits, it also brings disadvantages for individuals and businesses. I believe that reducing flights is beneficial, but stopping them completely is unrealistic.

limiting flights can negatively affect individuals by restricting their freedom to travel. Many people rely on air travel to visit family abroad or to pursue education and work opportunities overseas. Consequently, reducing flights too drastically may cause emotional stress and limit personal growth, making life less convenient for ordinary people. In addition, businesses may suffer economic losses when employees or customers reduce air travel. International companies depend on global mobility to maintain partnerships and competitiveness. Therefore, a sharp decline in flights could weaken industries such as tourism and aviation, slowing down economic growth and reducing job opportunities.

Having said that, reducing the number of flights helps the environment by lowering carbon emissions. Airplanes are among the most polluting forms of transport, so fewer flights mean less greenhouse gas released. As a result, this reduction slows climate change and ensures healthier living conditions for future generations. For example, France restricted short-haul flights where train alternatives were available, and this policy led to measurable decreases in national emissions.

In summary, reducing flights is a reasonable and effective way to protect the environment by cutting carbon emissions. Nevertheless, stopping flights altogether would create serious problems for individuals and businesses. Therefore, the environmental benefits of reducing flights outweigh the disadvantages, but a balanced approach is needed rather than a complete ban.

Word Count: 261

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, concluding that a reduction in flights rather than a complete ban is the most sensible approach. Main ideas are extended and supported, such as the personal convenience of travel and the economic reliance of businesses on global mobility, alongside environmental consequences supported by a concrete example regarding France. However, there is a slight tendency to over-generalise in parts, such as claiming that reducing flights generally slows economic growth without fully exploring mitigating factors. To reach a higher level, the arguments could be even more deeply developed with further nuance and elaboration on the complex trade-offs between economic and environmental priorities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with the introduction of the writer's position, moving into the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, shifting to the environmental benefits, and concluding smoothly. Cohesive devices are used effectively to guide the reader, such as 'Consequently', 'In addition', 'Having said that', and 'In summary'. Paragraphing is managed appropriately and logically supports the flow of ideas. To achieve the highest band, cohesion could be made even more seamless and unobtrusive, avoiding any mechanical feel in transitional phrases and ensuring referencing is consistently precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for some flexibility and precision. Less common lexical items and collocations are used with decent awareness of style, such as 'global mobility', 'carbon emissions', 'greenhouse gas', and 'short-haul flights'. Word choices are generally appropriate for an academic discussion, though occasional slight limitations prevent a higher rating. Spelling is accurate, and word formation is sound throughout the text. To elevate this criterion further, the student could integrate a wider variety of sophisticated and less common vocabulary items with complete naturalness and precision, avoiding slightly predictable phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response employs a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, resulting in frequent error-free constructions. The writer demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation, successfully utilizing conditional and participial clauses such as 'limiting flights can negatively affect individuals by restricting their freedom to travel' and 'Airplanes are among the most polluting forms of transport, so fewer flights mean less greenhouse gas released.' A few minor errors persist, such as the lowercase 'limiting' at the start of the second paragraph, but these do not impede communication. To move to the highest tier, the writer would need to demonstrate a wider range of structure types with consistent, flawless accuracy across all complex sentence forms.

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