Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-04
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)
In this modern era, number of individuals working full-time is increasing which does not leave free time for other activities. This essay intends to discuss the advantages that outweighs drawbacks of this situation.
On the one hand, one significant benefit of working long hours is being financially stable. As the demands of families and costs of living is rising rapidly, the better income is crucial for fulfilling all the requirements. As a result, we can have a heathy lifestyle. Moreover, it reduces time for overthinking and doing unnecessary activities. Personally, I am an overthinker and I take inessential stress about my personal life when I have nothing to do, which results in headache and worse day. As a result, being busy at work reduce chances of being in this condition.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of long working schedule. The most conspicuous is lack of interaction with family members. To explain it, when most of the time is utilized at work, one does not get enough time to spend it with household. It can reduce the attachment and bonds between them. Additionally, they do not get moment to share the problems or happiness with each other.
In conclusion, although long shifts have various benefits such as satisfying the needs and diverting the mind from stressful thoughts, family time is also crucial for being happy and satisfied.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. While the position is clear, the arguments—particularly the personal anecdote about 'overthinking'—lack the academic tone required for a high score. The conclusion is also abrupt and fails to clearly state which side outweighs the other, despite the introduction suggesting a discussion of advantages. To improve, ensure you meet the word count and provide more balanced, objective support for your claims rather than relying on personal anecdotes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and the use of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'In conclusion' helps the reader follow the argument. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The transition between the financial benefits and the personal anecdote about stress feels disjointed. Additionally, the final paragraph is very brief and does not effectively synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher bands. Phrases like 'doing unnecessary activities' and 'worse day' are simplistic. There are also minor collocation issues, such as 'take inessential stress' instead of 'experience unnecessary stress.' While the student attempts to use topic-related vocabulary like 'financially stable' and 'conspicuous,' the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and academic vocabulary to express ideas more concisely and precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, 'number of individuals' should be 'the number of individuals,' and 'costs of living is rising' should be 'are rising' to agree with the plural subject. There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency (e.g., 'being busy at work reduce chances'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.