Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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)

In recent years, some people have made their minds not to air travel frequently or just have abondoned taking af light. This cahnge has many positive effcts on the environment that are relatively more than the negative ones.

On one hand, air travel is contributing a lot in atmospheric pollution as aeroplanes are one of the main sources that are emitting carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases innthe air. Carbon dioxied is the major cause of greenhouse effect and ultimately global warming. Due to global warming, sea sufrace rises each year to an astonishing percentage and thus causes floods. Furthermore, the industries that are dealing with the production of the fuel are also are source of adding pollutants to the air.

On the other hand, flights are a primary source for many people to see their families in distant areas. Some use flights to accomplish a buisness task or to pursue educational purposes. For some individuals, it is crucial to have face to face meetings r

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You take a relevant position in the opening, saying the environmental benefits are greater than the disadvantages, and you identify pertinent points about aircraft emissions, global warming, family visits, business and education. However, the response addresses the question only partially: the disadvantages are listed but not explained or weighed against the environmental gains, and the environmental discussion is not supported with a specific example. The final sentence is cut off, so the argument has no conclusion or clear final judgement. The response also falls 85 words short of the required minimum, leaving too little space to develop the ideas. To improve, complete the essay, explain the scale of the effects on individuals and businesses, and show why these are outweighed by reduced emissions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic, recognisable structure: an introduction followed by paragraphs signposted with “On one hand” and “On the other hand.” This helps the reader distinguish environmental effects from personal and business disadvantages. However, there is no concluding paragraph, and the second body paragraph ends abruptly at “face to face meetings r,” so the progression is incomplete. Within the first body paragraph, the links from emissions to global warming and then flooding are understandable, but the connection to fuel-production industries is added without further explanation. Develop each paragraph around a clear main point, use linking phrases to show cause and contrast precisely, and finish with a conclusion that returns to your stated position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “atmospheric pollution,” “carbon dioxide,” “greenhouse gases,” “global warming,” and “face to face meetings.” These choices show an adequate range for discussing the topic, and the main ideas remain understandable. However, several spelling errors and awkward or inaccurate expressions reduce precision, such as “abondoned,” “cahnge,” “effcts,” and “a source of adding pollutants.” “Sea sufrace rises” is also an imprecise way to describe the effect of global warming. Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, such as “have stopped flying,” “contribute to air pollution,” and “sea levels are rising.” Proofreading would help ensure that your relevant vocabulary is communicated clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences. For example, “Due to global warming, sea sufrace rises each year … and thus causes floods” uses a cause-and-effect structure, while the opening gives a clear overall position. However, control is uneven: “the industries … are also are source” contains a faulty verb phrase and article, and “aeroplanes are one of the main sources that are emitting” is awkwardly constructed. The final sentence is incomplete, which prevents the reader from following its intended meaning. Work on accurate subject–verb patterns, articles and complete sentence boundaries. After drafting, check that every sentence has a clear subject and verb and that clauses are joined correctly.

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