Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-05

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 6.5)

People prefer air travel among the many modes of transport available because of its ease and convenience. However, in recent years, the frequency of passengers travelling by air has decreased, with some people avoiding it completely. In my opinion, although this shift harms businesses and people in the industry, it is a boon to environmental conservation.

Over the years, through awareness campaigns and initiatives, people have increasingly begun acting in responsible ways, such as reducing air travel, to preserve the precious flora and fauna of Earth. Aeroplanes operate by burning fossil fuels, which, upon combustion, release smoke into the air, leading to air pollution. Moreover, a huge landmass is required to construct accessible airports. When citizens decide to make smart choices by minimising the number of flights, it not only mitigates the negative effects of combustion but also preserves natural land that can be later utilised for agriculture or wildlife. Therefore, it is crucial to make such decisions for nature.

On the other hand, the airline industry suffers great losses when people plan to reduce or stop air travel. Firstly, businesses experience a dip in their sales and profit margins, depreciating their value, followed by a wave of unemployment, wherein individuals may lose their means of livelihood. For example, when a renowned airline company announced bankruptcy due to a fall in demand, many airhostesses and pilots lost their jobs, leaving them helpless. In addition, local businesses are impacted heavily when tourism decreases due to reduced flights.

In a nutshell, the benefits outweigh the demerits faced by businesses and individuals, and

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the environmental benefits and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, presenting a clear position. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others. For instance, the environmental benefits section is explained thoroughly with points on combustion and land use, while the conclusion is incomplete, trailing off mid-sentence. This demonstrates that while the main arguments are relevant and partially extended, the lack of a fully realised conclusion prevents the response from achieving a higher band. The ideas presented are generally clear, though the sudden truncation at the end leaves the stance slightly unresolved.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of ideas from introduction to body paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, environmental arguments, business consequences, and the beginning of the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand'. However, referencing and cohesion occasionally feel slightly mechanical, and the abrupt ending disrupts the logical flow of the text. To reach the next level, the essay would need a more seamless integration of cohesive elements and a fully completed concluding paragraph that firmly encapsulates the writer's final thoughts.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully conveying the intended meaning with terms like 'environmental conservation', 'combustion', and 'livelihood'. The writer makes some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'boon' and 'depreciating their value', though there are minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'huge landmass is required'. Spelling and word choice errors are absent or do not impede communication. To move into higher bands, the writer should employ a wider range of sophisticated, less common lexical items with more precise control over style and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic structures and attempting more intricate constructions, such as 'When citizens decide to make smart choices...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, though they rarely impede communication. For example, phrasing like 'passengers travelling by air' could be streamlined, and punctuation is occasionally strained in longer clauses. The sentences are mostly understandable, showing a solid foundation in grammatical control. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with greater frequency and ensure error-free execution across all sentence types.

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

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