Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Some of the peoples reduce the number of travelling through air. or they stop flying together. it has good effect on environment and the weather, but it also has some disadvantage it effects the airlines business and also, it has large effect on the economy of that country.

Firstly, the main advantage of the less flight in travelling is that it avoids global warming. when there is less flight there are less traffic and less carbon monoxide that has large effect on the climate, if there is good climate and peace full environment that has good impression on the health of the human. it also helps us to reach to our destination in less time and easier to travel.

Another advantage is that when people make limited travelling there is less expense, so it is also help full there also. the Prices of ticket are also down.

And it also has some disadvantages; the main issue is for the owner of Airlines and the government also because there are a lot of workers are attached to that field to run the daily expenses some of the other businesses are related to it. like restaurants on airport and the taxi drivers that travel to airport through that and the staff of airport and the staff of airlines, it also effects the economy of the country very effectively. and it's quite expensive.

according to myself I prefer to travel though the airlines, because it helps me to save my money and time and it reach to my destination peacefully and comfortable way. it also helps with our economy. rather than we reduce the number of flights we make we have to find the solution for that problem. this is not the solution to leave to fly.

AI examiner evaluation

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, meeting the basic requirements of the task. However, the position is not always clearly maintained, particularly in the conclusion where personal preference is mixed with a general argument. The ideas are limited and under-developed, with brief, repetitive points made about global warming, expenses, and business impacts without sufficient extension or relevant supporting examples. For instance, the claim that reducing flights helps us reach our destination in less time and is easier to travel contradicts the premise of cutting back on flying. To move to a higher level, you need to fully develop your arguments with well-reasoned explanations and specific examples rather than relying on generalised statements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is some organisation in the essay, as it attempts an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, and uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Another advantage', and 'And it also has some disadvantages'. However, there is no clear overall progression of ideas, and paragraphs lack internal cohesion. Sentences are often linked mechanically or run together with inappropriate punctuation, making the logical flow difficult to follow. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, such as the pronoun use in 'that has large effect'. To improve, you should ensure each paragraph has a clear central topic sentence, develop ideas logically within that paragraph, and use a wider range of cohesive devices more accurately to guide the reader smoothly through your arguments.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. There is a heavy reliance on basic and repetitive words, such as 'reduce', 'travel', and 'effect'. You attempt some less common items, such as 'global warming', but these are often accompanied by noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and word form, for example, 'less flight' instead of 'fewer flights' and 'help full' instead of 'helpful'. Spelling errors are also present, such as 'peace full'. To achieve a higher score, you need to expand your lexical range by incorporating more precise vocabulary, sophisticated synonyms, and natural collocations, while paying closer attention to correct word forms and spelling to ensure clear communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions or comma splices. Your attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to frequent errors that can cause difficulty for the reader, such as run-on sentences and missing subjects or verbs. There are also persistent issues with article usage, pluralisation, and subject-verb agreement, as seen in phrases like 'Some of the peoples reduce' and 'there are a lot of workers are attached'. To progress to the next level, you must incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures and improve your control over basic grammar, punctuation, and tense consistency to reduce the frequency of errors.

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

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