Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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)

It is a very interesting topic to discuss. Some people have decided to reduce the number of times they fly every year or to stop flying altogether. Although this decision has some disadvantages for individuals and businesses, I believe that its environmental benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Firstly, it had several advantages to reducing flying. An aeroplanes produces to much carbon dioxide which is vtery harmful for lives on earth. It disturbs the environment or climate because it causes the global warming which is very dangerous. This environment is very harmful or unhealthy fo humans. Secondly, by using the alternative methods of transport it such as buses or trains it can helps to protect the environment. As a result, using unnecessary flights can produce better environment for future generation. If people reduces the number of flights it also help to produce healthy environment.

Moreover, it has also some disadvantages it is costly travel some people can't afford to take flights but their family lives in other countries therefore they can't meet with their family early. Some people has buisness problems because they settled their buisness in other countries so they can't go their very quickly. On the other hand, students may have fewer opportunities to travel abroad for education or cultural experience. Buisness man also face some difficulties when their meetings or trips set up in other countries.

In conclusion, although reducing air travel can create difficulties for individuals and businesses, I believe that the environmental benefits are more significant. Protecting the environment and reducing the climates change are important for everyone's future. Therefore, people should avoid unnecessary flights to maintain our environment and they must choose alternative travelling like trains or buses for their travel.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear from the introduction and conclusion: you believe the environmental gains outweigh the disadvantages. You address both sides, mentioning emissions and climate effects as well as family separation, business travel, and students’ opportunities. These points are relevant, but some are asserted rather than explained. For example, you say flights harm the climate, then repeat that fewer flights create a healthier environment without showing how the benefits compare with the personal and commercial costs. The disadvantages are also listed briefly, with little detail about their scale or possible alternatives. To strengthen the response, develop one or two examples on each side and make the comparison explicit. The 19 words copied from the task prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on environmental benefits, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion that restates your view. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Moreover,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main stages. However, some linking is mechanical, and connections between ideas are not always clear. For instance, “As a result” introduces a claim about a better environment, but the preceding sentence does not fully establish that result. The first body paragraph also repeats the idea of a healthy environment several times. Group related points more tightly, use pronouns or transitions with clear references, and explain how each example supports your comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “carbon dioxide,” “global warming,” “alternative methods of transport,” and “cultural experience.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors make the writing less natural. Examples include “to much carbon dioxide,” “healthy environment,” “business problems,” and repeated use of “harmful.” Spelling errors such as “vtery,” “fo,” and “buisness” are noticeable. Aim for more precise expressions and check spelling carefully; for example, distinguish between environmental damage and effects on human health. Vary repeated terms such as “environment” and “flights” where the meaning allows, while keeping your wording accurate and clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although this decision has some disadvantages…” and a conditional sentence beginning “If people reduces…”. The overall meaning is generally understandable, but some errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction remain. For example, “An aeroplanes produces” has a mismatch between the article, noun, and verb; “it can helps” uses an incorrect verb form; and “If people reduces … it also help” has agreement errors in both clauses. The sentence beginning “by using the alternative methods … it such as buses” is also difficult to follow structurally. Practise building accurate clauses first, then combine them using subordinators and conditionals.

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