Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-09
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 5.0)
Some people have decided not to travel every year or to stop flying altogether. While it might help to bring a little change but I don't think that the environmental benefits of this development outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses.
One of the main reason is that it can cause loss to a company. It can interefere with the important business concerns. Individuals who were planning to travel for important business purposes might miss on the important meetings and conferences. It can become a source of trouble for them. The business concerns are important for a successful business and missing out on the important meetings and conferences would be a hurdle to company's growth. For example, there is an important meeting regarding promotion which is planned to be held in another country and if the person miss that meeting it can stop the company's promotion
Furthermore, if can cause restrictions on personal freedom and family relationships. If an individual is not able to meet his family members or loved ones that live out of country it can be a source of mental distress. Avoiding air travel can make it difficult for individuals to visit family members living abroad or explore different countries and cultures. For people who live far away from their loved ones, flying is often the fastest and most practical means of transportation. Reducing flights may therefore weaken family connections and limit valuable travel experiences.
In conclusion, reducing the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether will not necessarily benefit the environment however it can cause loss to business and can cause restrictions on personal freedom and family relationships
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You take a position against the idea that environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and you give relevant reasons concerning business travel and family connections. The examples of missing an overseas meeting and being unable to visit relatives help explain why flying matters. However, the response addresses the comparison only partially: it gives little explanation of the environmental benefits, so the reader cannot judge why you consider them insufficient. Some points are also under-developed; for instance, the business example ends without explaining how one missed meeting would affect a company’s promotion or growth. Develop both sides of the question and support your conclusion with a clearer comparison.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The response has a recognisable introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the paragraphs broadly separate business and personal disadvantages. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “In conclusion” help signal the structure. However, progression within the first body paragraph is repetitive: the ideas about important meetings and conferences are repeated several times without adding much explanation. The environmental side is also absent, which leaves the argument’s overall development incomplete. Some connections are awkward, such as “While it might help to bring a little change but,” and the conclusion largely repeats the introduction rather than drawing together a balanced comparison. Organise each paragraph around one developed point and use clearer links between claims and examples.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “environmental benefits,” “personal freedom,” “mental distress,” and “family relationships.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, particularly repeated references to “important meetings and conferences” and “source of trouble.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice problems, such as “interefere” and “company's promotion,” which make parts of the argument less natural. Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated wording; for example, explain the specific business consequences rather than relying on general phrases such as “cause loss.” This would make the reasoning clearer and more convincing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt some longer sentences and subordinate clauses, for example, “For people who live far away from their loved ones, flying is often the fastest and most practical means of transportation.” However, the range is limited, and complex structures are often faulty. The opening sentence combines “While” with “but,” and “One of the main reason” has a singular-plural agreement error. Other examples include “if can cause restrictions,” “if the person miss that meeting,” and the unfinished punctuation at the end of the business example. These errors sometimes make the reader pause to interpret the intended meaning. Practise accurate clause construction, subject-verb agreement and sentence boundaries, then proofread each sentence for a complete subject and verb.
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