Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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 7.0)

In recent years, an increasing number of people have chosen to fly less frequently or stop flying altogether. I believe that the environmental benefits of this development outweigh the disadvantages because reducing unnecessary flights can help protect the environment, while video meetings and alternative forms of transport can reduce some of the inconvenience.

The main advantage of reducing air travel is that it can help decrease carbon emissions and slow climate change. Aircraft consume large amounts of fuel, particularly on long-distance journeys, which contributes to greenhouse gas emission. If more people choose to fly less often, the overall environmental impact of air travel could be reduced. For example, business meetings can often be held online instead of requiring employees to travel to another country. Furthermore, people travelling shorter distances may be able to use trains or buses, which can produce fewer emissions per passenger than flying. Therefore, reducing unnecessary flights can be an affective way to make travel more environmentally friendly.

Despite these benefits, flying less can create difficulties for individuals and businesses. People may find it harder to visit relatives who live abroad, especially when alternative transport is expensive or takes a long time. Similarly, some businesses depend on international travel to meet clients, establish partnerships and develop new markets. In addition, airlines and tourism-related businesses may lose income if demand for flights declines. However, these disadvantages can be reduced throuth online communication, careful travel planning and the use of alternative transport where practical. Important journeys can still take place, while unnecessary flights can be avoided.

In conclusion, althouth flying less frequently may inconvenience individuals and negatively affect some businesses. I believe its environmental benefits are greater. Reducing unnevessary air travel cal lower emissions, and modern communication technology and alternative transport can help minimise the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you believe the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and the conclusion restates this view. You address both sides with relevant points, including emissions, online business meetings, family visits, and effects on airlines and tourism. The examples help support the argument, and the response meets the task requirements. To strengthen the discussion further, develop the consequences of the disadvantages more specifically—for instance, explain how reduced business travel might affect particular industries or why some journeys cannot be replaced by online contact. Some claims, such as trains and buses producing fewer emissions per passenger, would also benefit from qualification or a more precise example. This would make the support less general and the comparison more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay has a clear, effective structure: the introduction states your view, the body paragraphs consider benefits and disadvantages, and the conclusion returns to the central comparison. Ideas progress logically within each paragraph, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Despite these benefits,” and “However” guide the reader through contrasts and additions. Referencing is generally clear, including “these disadvantages” and “its environmental benefits.” To make the organisation even more polished, connect the comparison between the two sides more explicitly: the body paragraphs mostly present separate lists, so a sentence explaining why the environmental gains outweigh the economic and personal costs would strengthen the progression. A few transitions could also be less formulaic, while preserving the clear paragraph structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “carbon emissions,” “greenhouse gas emission,” “alternative transport,” “international travel,” and “tourism-related businesses.” These choices communicate the argument clearly, and phrases such as “develop new markets” show some flexibility beyond basic vocabulary. However, the range is not consistently precise, and several spelling errors—“affective,” “throuth,” “althouth,” “unnevessary,” and “cal”—reduce accuracy. “Affective” is especially misleading where you mean “effective.” Some expressions, such as “help protect the environment,” are broad and could be made more specific. To move towards more flexible and precise vocabulary, check spelling carefully and use more exact collocations for emissions, travel demand, and business impacts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a useful variety of sentence forms, including conditional structures (“If more people choose to fly less often…”), relative clauses (“businesses that depend on international travel”), and complex sentences with contrast and cause. Most sentences are clear and well controlled, and punctuation generally supports the meaning. A few grammatical issues remain. In the conclusion, “In conclusion, although flying less frequently may inconvenience individuals and negatively affect some businesses. I believe…” leaves the concessive clause as a sentence fragment; join it to the main clause with a comma. Also, “greenhouse gas emission” would normally be plural in this context (“emissions”). Review sentence boundaries and number agreement to make the otherwise varied structures consistently accurate.

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