Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-31
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Many people work long hours, leaving very little time for leisure activities.
Does this situation have more advantages or more disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 6.0)
Nowadays, many people spend long hours at work which leaves them with very little time for leisure activities. although this lifestyle can bring some benefits, i believe that the disadvantages are greater because it can negatively affect people's health and personal relationships.
on the one hand, working longer hours can have some advantages. firstly, employees who work more hours may earn higher salaries, which can improve their financial situation and help them achieve their goals. for example, many people work overtime to save money for buying a house or supporting their families. in addition, spending more time at work can help individuals gain more experience and develop their careers.
on other hand, this trend has several serious drawbacks. the main disadvantages is that people may suffer from stress and health problems due to lack of rest and relaxation. if individuals do not have enough time for exercise, hobbies, or spending time with family, their quality of life can decline.Furt
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which severely limits your ability to develop your ideas. While you have identified a clear position and addressed both sides of the argument, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. To reach a higher band, you must provide a full introduction, two well-developed body paragraphs with specific examples, and a concluding summary. Because the response is unfinished and lacks the necessary depth and length to fully explore the prompt, it cannot be awarded a score higher than 5.0 for task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay shows a basic logical structure with an introduction and two body paragraphs. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'on the one hand', 'firstly', and 'in addition' to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the piece. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect your arguments more fluidly. The lack of a conclusion also prevents the essay from having a cohesive final structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use common phrases like 'improve their financial situation' and 'develop their careers', which are clear but lack sophistication. There are also some minor errors, such as 'the main disadvantages is' (should be 'disadvantage'). To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to work-life balance, such as 'professional advancement', 'detrimental impact', or 'psychological well-being'. Expanding your range of synonyms will help you express your ideas with more precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in punctuation and capitalization. For example, sentences often start with lowercase letters, and there are missing commas after introductory phrases. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent. You should focus on basic sentence mechanics, such as capitalizing the first letter of every sentence and using proper punctuation. Additionally, ensure subject-verb agreement is consistent, as seen in the error 'the main disadvantages is'.
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