Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-10

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)

Throughout history, humans spent years of evolving in transportation methods from steam engine cars to trains until we created airplanes. Many people view this advancement a step forward to the future of pleasure or buisness, while others fear the implication of this mode of transportation on the environment, encouraging lots of people to either reduce the number of flights they take or stop flying altogether. I believe we should raise awareness on the environmental benefits of reducing airplane usage and how it outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and buisnesses.

Since the invention of airplanes, the air quality worsened. Planes have a high carbon footprint, which destroys the of our health and increases green-house gases. Additionally, airplanes interferes with the migration routes of birds during changing season, and lots of incidents have been reported of birds crashes which might endanger some birds' species.Moreover, air crafts released lots of waste in the the ocean, damaging the marine ecosystems and wildlife.

However, some argue that planes are a superior means of transportation overseas either for buisness or pleasure. I agree to some extent as planes can transport goods or products that are essential such as temperature-sensitive medications or foods, but I believe we must resort to air craft usage in priority cases and stop the excessive dependence on it. Other forms our transportation can be found and are advancing rapid to be become more environment friendsly such as electric cars or bullet trains.

In conclusion, air crafts represent a great revolution in the advancement of transportation, but taking responsibility of our enviroment must remain the main priority for the benefit of our planet, wildlife, and human health.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and state a clear view: reducing flights is worthwhile, while aircraft should remain available for priority needs. Relevant points include emissions, effects on wildlife, and the transport of temperature-sensitive goods. However, the environmental case is broader than it is developed: the claims about bird collisions and waste entering the ocean are not explained or supported, and the link between fewer flights and improved health is unclear. The disadvantages for individuals and businesses receive less attention; the paragraph mainly acknowledges useful transport and then moves to alternatives. To strengthen the response, explain specific consequences of reduced flying, such as longer journeys or higher costs, and compare these directly with the environmental gains.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on environmental concerns, a counterargument, and a conclusion. The progression from the benefits of reducing flights to the practical value of air travel is easy to follow, and transitions such as “Additionally,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help signal these stages. Some connections are less precise, though. The opening sentence about the history of transport does not lead smoothly into the debate, and the environmental paragraph moves from air quality to bird migration and ocean waste without explaining how these points relate. The phrase “Other forms our transportation” also makes the transition to alternatives harder to follow. Use clearer links between claims and organise each paragraph around one developed main idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “carbon footprint,” “green-house gases,” “migration routes,” and “marine ecosystems,” which helps communicate the subject. There is also an attempt to vary expression through phrases such as “excessive dependence” and “temperature-sensitive medications.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable and sometimes make the wording awkward, for example “buisness,” “enviroment,” “environment friendsly,” and “air crafts.” Some collocations are also imprecise, as in “destroys the of our health” and “birds crashes.” Aim for accurate, natural combinations rather than adding technical terms without checking their form. Proofread spelling carefully and choose precise phrases such as “harm human health” or “bird collisions.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a concession with “although” implied by “I agree to some extent” and a relative clause in “products that are essential.” The main ideas are generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “airplanes interferes” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “the of our health” is an incomplete construction. In “Other forms our transportation,” the relationship between the nouns is unclear, and “are advancing rapid to be become” contains errors in adverb form and verb construction. There are also issues with articles, plurals, and punctuation, such as “changing season” and the missing space after “species.” Practise accurate clause construction and check agreement and sentence boundaries during revision.

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