Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Nowadays, few people are arguing to reduce the number of time they fly every year or to completely stop flying. I think the environment benefits of this development does not outweigh the drawbacks for individual and business, although there are several benefits of this development.

On the one hand, people believe that clean and healthy environment is essential for humans. Reducing or completeing stoping the number of times people fly can improve the environment by improving the air quality. This will also stop the international businesse to make industries in other countries, so less emission will take place. Although, if flying is completely stopped this would increase in the vehicals on the road which could cause more air pollution. So, reducing or completely shuting down the flights cannot improve the environment.

However, this development could have negative impact on businesses and also on individuals. If the flying is reduced or completely stopped this could create problems for international businesses as they will not able to physically visit the sites in other countries and examine it. Importing and exporting through airspace will be completely shutdown, and more businesses will move towards oceans and seas for importing and exporting. Also, people who want to extend their businesses internationally will not be able to do it. Furthermore, individuals nowadays are travelling to foreign countries for education. Students apply for scholarships to study in other countries and if the use of airspace is completely shutdown they will not able to travel abroad. People who already are in other countries and are likely to visit their homeland on holidays will suffer.

In conclusion, decreasing the number of times people fly or completely stop using airspace for travelling can have some environmental benefits but it creates some challenges for the businesses as they will not able to expand their business in other countries and international businesses will not be able to examine their branches in foreign countries. Students also get affected as they will not able to travel if they got admission in a foreign country

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you argue that the disadvantages for individuals and businesses outweigh the environmental benefits. You address both sides, mentioning improved air quality as a benefit and impacts on international trade, business travel, and students as disadvantages. These are relevant points, but some are less fully developed than others. For example, the claim that fewer flights would stop businesses from establishing industries abroad is not clearly explained, and the suggestion that road traffic would increase needs a more convincing link to reduced flying. The discussion of students and people visiting family is more specific, but examples or explanation of how serious these effects are would strengthen your case. A more direct comparison of the scale of environmental gains and personal or commercial costs would make the argument more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for benefits and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “On the one hand,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the broad direction of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes uneven: the environmental paragraph moves from air quality to overseas industries and then road vehicles without clearly showing how these points connect. Several ideas in the disadvantages paragraph are added in a list-like way, and the conclusion repeats earlier points rather than drawing them together. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “Also” and “Furthermore.” Group related examples and use clearer references between sentences to improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “air quality,” “emission,” “international businesses,” “scholarships,” and “importing and exporting.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the meaning less clear. Examples include “environment benefits,” “international businesse,” and “use of airspace” where you mean air travel or flights. Spelling errors such as “vehicals,” “completeing,” and “shuting” are noticeable, and phrases such as “extend their businesses internationally” are not the most natural way to express expansion. Aim to learn accurate collocations and check spelling and word forms; this will make your ideas easier to understand and more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “If the flying is reduced or completely stopped…” and a concession beginning “Although.” This gives the response some variety, but control is inconsistent, especially in longer sentences. Subject–verb agreement is inaccurate in “the environment benefits … does not outweigh,” and several clauses omit necessary words, as in “they will not able to physically visit” and “they will not able to travel.” Articles and plural forms also need attention, for example “a clean and healthy environment” and “businesses.” The sentence beginning “Although” is not correctly connected to a main clause. Practise checking each sentence for a complete clause, correct agreement, and consistent verb patterns while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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