Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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)

Yes, I agree with the given statement. Some people have decided to fly less often each year or stop flying altogether. This will help with the aspects of environmental benefits, as the release of toxic gases in the atmosphere can be reduced by reducing the number of flights.

If the number of people reduce travelling by flight, then the number of flights is reduced, which in turn reduces the gases released in the atmosphere. Since the flights are also run on fuel which is burned to ignite the engine. Burning these fuels releases toxic gases in the atmosphere. The ultimate result of this is air pollution and acid rain. But by reducing travel, the pollution can be controlled. This will result in the reduction of acid rain. We can get pure air. Also, fewer flights can save birds from getting hit. This is also a major advantage. It also helps in Not damaging of land areas for building of airports. Then land and trees have also been saved. So there are numerous benefits present in this if people reduce their travel.

Although this process provides environmental benefits, there are some disadvantages too. The reduction in the number of times people travel will affect both their personal and business life. In some cases, they need to travel across the world by flight to attend a business meeting. Individuals are asked to travel to get medical assisstance which wll not be provided by their own country. Meetings and Conferences like G20, BRICS, etc., require flight travel by a lot of people to meet in a certain country. So travelling can not be avoided in such situations

So we can conclude that less often travelling can benefit the environment, not the individual. They are intended to travel back and forth by flight for their personal as well as business reasons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both the environmental effects and the disadvantages for individuals and businesses, and your position is that reducing flights benefits the environment but can inconvenience people. Relevant points include lower emissions, less damage to land for airports, and the need to travel for medical care or international meetings. However, the response does not directly weigh whether the environmental benefits outweigh the disadvantages; the conclusion instead says the change benefits the environment “not the individual.” Several claims, such as fewer bird strikes and reduced acid rain, are introduced but not explained or supported with examples. To strengthen the response, state your comparative judgement clearly and develop a few key points with specific explanation of their scale or consequences.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from environmental benefits to disadvantages and then a conclusion. Paragraphing helps distinguish these areas, and linking phrases such as “Although” and “So we can conclude” signal the broad direction of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes repetitive: the first body paragraph repeatedly explains that fewer flights mean fewer gases, then shifts quickly to birds, airports, land and trees. Some connections are unclear, particularly the transition from environmental benefits to “pure air” and the final contrast between the environment and individuals. Use a clearer sequence of topic sentences, group related effects together, and make references and transitions more precise so the argument develops rather than listing points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “atmosphere,” “air pollution,” “acid rain,” “business meeting,” and “medical assistance.” However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, such as “toxic gases,” “reduce travel,” and “benefit the environment.” Some collocations and word forms are awkward, including “the aspects of environmental benefits,” “run on fuel,” and “not damaging of land areas.” There are also spelling errors in “assisstance” and “wll,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise environmental and economic vocabulary, and check that phrases sound natural in context; this will make your points clearer and less repetitive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including conditional and subordinate structures such as “If the number of people reduce travelling by flight…” and “Although this process provides environmental benefits…”. The overall meaning is generally understandable, but errors recur in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction. For example, “the number of people reduce” should use a singular verb, while “Since the flights are also run on fuel which is burned to ignite the engine” is an incomplete sentence. The final sentence, “They are intended to travel back and forth,” also has an unclear subject and awkward structure. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and ensure each sentence has a complete main clause; use complex structures only when you can control them accurately.

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