Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-31

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)

Some people believe reducing air travel can help reduce air pollution and have decided to either stop flying altogether or atleast reduce the number of times they fly each year. While, reduced flying has some environmental benefits, these could not be compared to the disadvantages it pose to individuals convineance and businesses.

Reduced flying has some major environmental benefits especially it reduces air pollution. This is primarily because aeroplanes burn fossil fuels releasing smoke directly in the air which results in air pollution so consequently, lesser air travel means lesser flights and lesser pollution. The prime illustration of this can be seen in covid times, when travel ban reduced number of flights and noticibly the air pollution was significantly reduced.

The reduced air travel is a nightmare for many individuals and businesses. Many people work at different places from their hometown or home country and flights are the only mean for their travel to visit their family in vacations. Furthermore, most businesses are dependent on air travel for logistics including businesses like quick commerce and factories which needs spare parts from other countries, their business operations might be suspended for months if parts are not delivered by flights. This dynamic is clearly demonstrated from the recent US Iran conflict, where all flights towards gulf were suspended, and almost all businesses suffered from this in one way or another.

In conclusion, while reduced or no air travel helps environment to some extent, the disadvantages it pose are critical. It must be a delibrate choice for individuals for how many times they want to fly and how they want to use air travel for their businesses without any restrictions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you acknowledge environmental gains but argue that the disadvantages for individuals and businesses are more serious. You address both sides and support them with examples, including family visits, business logistics, and flight suspensions during conflict. This gives the response a relevant, balanced foundation. However, the environmental case is developed mainly through air pollution, with little consideration of other impacts such as aviation emissions and climate change. Some claims also need more precise explanation: the COVID example is asserted rather than showing how reduced flights affected pollution, and the conflict example does not clearly establish the scale of business harm. Develop these points and explain more directly why the disadvantages outweigh the benefits to make the argument more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction states your view, separate body paragraphs discuss environmental benefits and disadvantages, and the conclusion restates your position. Ideas generally progress logically, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. Some connections are less smooth or precise, however. The opening “While, reduced flying…” has awkward punctuation, and “so consequently” uses two links for the same relationship. The final sentence introduces individual choice and business use without clearly connecting this recommendation to the preceding argument about outweighing disadvantages. Use transitions more selectively and make the relationship between examples, claims, and your conclusion explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “air pollution,” “fossil fuels,” “logistics,” and “business operations,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “spare parts from other countries.” However, several word-choice and spelling errors reduce precision and naturalness: “convineance,” “noticibly,” and “delibrate” are misspelled, while “the only mean for their travel” and “lesser flights” are awkward collocations. “Quick commerce” may also be unclear to some readers without explanation. Aim for accurate, natural combinations and check spelling carefully; a more precise vocabulary range would help express the argument with greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including a concessive opening and cause-and-effect sentences, and the main ideas remain understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless recur. For example, “the disadvantages it pose” has subject–verb disagreement, “factories which needs” has incorrect agreement, and “businesses are dependent on air travel … their business operations might be suspended” joins clauses without a clear grammatical link. The sentence beginning “This is primarily because” also becomes difficult to follow because several clauses are joined together. Work on agreement, clause boundaries, and sentence control, especially when combining explanations and examples. More consistently accurate complex sentences would strengthen the response.

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