Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Owing to high costs of airline tickets and increasing risks of plane crashes, some people are of the view that frequency of air travel should be lessened or a complete halt should be there. Although, this approach may impose challenges on individuals and businesses to grow, less air travel yields far more benefits for the nature and the world's environment.

One significant downside to this development is the loss of growth opportunities for both companies and individuals. Companies, aiming to expand their operations in multiple cities and states would require meetings with different stakeholders and sites hence creating need for frequent visits through air travel in order to save time. If they completely stop to choose travel by air, this may create a negative impression on the counter party which can misinterpret company's true objectives. Moreover, individuals with good potential and valuable skills may fail to capitalize on highly paid employment opportunities which demand frequent travel this can limit their professional development and can rupture their long term career prospects.

Despite these few drawbacks, i believe reducing the recurrance of flying by air has major benefits for our global environment. If people stop using flights to travel or reduce air travel by a substantial rate, airline companies will slash their flight operations while considerably reducing demand for oil used as fuel. Since planes use crude oil which is a kind of fossil fuel, disastrous for our natural habitat and surroundings, limited use of it, will protect our natural environment including plants, aquatic species and human beings. Similarly, it can slow process of global warming and can decrease chances of natural disasters like floods and droughts, impacting major populations and households.

To conclude, although reducing air travel may limit a business or an individual's growth plans and can create hurdles for them, limiting its use has enormous advantage for saving our environment from major crises from weather and climate conditions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you argue that environmental gains outweigh the disadvantages, and you address both individuals and businesses. The business paragraph explains that travel can support meetings and expansion, while the environmental paragraph links fewer flights with lower fuel demand and reduced harm. These are relevant points, and the conclusion reinforces your view. However, some support remains broad or uncertain: the claim that a business partner may misinterpret a company’s objectives is not fully explained, and the link from reduced flying to fewer floods and droughts is asserted rather than demonstrated. To strengthen the response, develop each main point with a specific example or clearer explanation of how it supports your comparison of benefits and disadvantages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on disadvantages, a paragraph on environmental benefits, and a conclusion. The contrast signalled by “Despite these few drawbacks” helps the reader follow your position, and the ideas generally progress in a logical order. Some connections within sentences are less clear, however. For example, the long sentence beginning “Companies, aiming to expand…” combines expansion, meetings, stakeholders, and travel without clearly separating the steps in the argument. The transition from reduced oil demand to protecting plants, aquatic species, and people could also be made more explicit. Use shorter, more controlled sentences where several ideas are linked, and make the cause-and-effect relationships clear rather than relying mainly on broad linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “stakeholders,” “fossil fuel,” “global warming,” and “professional development.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and you attempt some less common expressions. At times, however, word choice and collocation are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “a complete halt should be there,” “rupture their long term career prospects,” and “reduce the recurrance of flying by air.” “Disastrous for our natural habitat” also does not fit smoothly into the sentence as written. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim to use familiar, accurate collocations for key claims, and check spelling and word forms, including “recurrence” and “counterparty.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including a concessive opening and conditional sentences such as “If people stop using flights…” This gives the response some variety, and the main meaning is generally understandable. However, several sentences contain errors in clause structure, agreement, articles, or punctuation. For instance, “Although, this approach…” uses punctuation incorrectly after the subordinating conjunction; “Companies… would require meetings… hence creating need” has an unclear construction and is missing an article; and “this may create a negative impression… which can misinterpret” has an unclear grammatical reference. Capitalisation is also inconsistent in “i believe.” Review sentence boundaries and ensure each clause has a clear subject and verb. More accurate control of these patterns would make your complex sentences easier to follow.

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