Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-27
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)
Nowadays, air travelling is becoming increasingly popular. Although it offers some benefits, It has also some drawbacks. This essay will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of air travelling.
On the one hand, air travelling offers several benefits. It not only makes journey easier but also helps people to reach their destinations on time. The main reason is that with the aid of airplanes people can go anywhere within few hours. it made people lives easier. For example, In the past, people used ships for their journeys and it took them days to reach their destination, but now people can go everywhere within hours with the help of planes. Therefore, it is understandable why some people support this view.
On the other hand, it has some drawbacks. It not only facilitates the public but also effects the environment negatively. Air travel brings some harmful changes in environment such as air and noise pollution. In alternate, we can use trains to avoid these issues. In this way, it benefits the individual and society as a whole. For instance, if people reduce travel through planes, it actually effects the businesses but overall, it can protect the environment. As a result, opposite arguments are also convincing. In my opinion, I completely agree with first view, it effects the environment, but it's advantages are more than its' drawbacks.
To sum up, air travel has both merits and demerits. Although, it effects the environment and creates air pollution. But it makes people lives more easier with the availability of airplanes.They can reach their destinations on time and without difficulty.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
The response recognises that flying has personal advantages and environmental costs, and it gives a clear final preference for the benefits of air travel to individuals. However, the question asks whether the environmental benefits of reducing or stopping flights outweigh the disadvantages for individuals and businesses. Much of the essay instead discusses air travel in general, so the specific development and its effects on businesses are only briefly addressed. The claim that reducing flights “can protect the environment” is not explained with detail, while the business disadvantage is mentioned without an example or explanation. To strengthen the response, state your position directly in the introduction and develop both the environmental gains and the costs to individuals and businesses with relevant reasons and examples. The answer therefore addresses the task only partially, with ideas that remain limited and under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The essay has a recognisable introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and signposting such as “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” helps identify the contrast. However, the progression is not consistently clear because the discussion shifts between the benefits of flying and the benefits of reducing flights without clearly connecting these to the question. Phrases such as “Therefore, it is understandable why some people support this view” and “As a result, opposite arguments are also convincing” do not specify which view or argument is meant. The conclusion also repeats earlier points rather than resolving the comparison. Organise the body around the two sides of the exact question, use clear references to each side, and make each concluding sentence follow logically from its paragraph.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, with relevant terms such as “air pollution,” “noise pollution,” “destinations” and “environment.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, including repeated use of “effects” and “makes people lives easier.” Some word choices also obscure the intended meaning: “In alternate” is not a natural way to introduce a substitute, and “air travelling” is less idiomatic than “air travel.” Aim for more precise language about the task, such as emissions, carbon footprint, flight reduction and business travel, while checking common collocations. This would make the argument clearer and less dependent on repeated general words, while retaining the accessible vocabulary already used.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts a few complex patterns, including “Although it offers some benefits” and “if people reduce travel through planes,” and most sentences remain understandable. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect fluency. Examples include “It has also some drawbacks” (word order), “it made people lives easier” (tense and possessive form), and “it effects the environment” (subject–verb form in this context). There are also sentence-boundary and punctuation problems, such as the capitalisation after full stops and the run-on transition “Although, it effects the environment… But it makes…”. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then use subordinate clauses to express cause and contrast. Check verb forms, possessives, articles and sentence boundaries during revision.
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