Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-08

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, people spent most of their time while working and don't get enough time for their hobbies. This situation has more disadvantages than advantages. For instance- This kind of routine make them mentally burnt out and it affects their relationships with the family members and friends.

Firstly, Working for longer hours not just make individual physically tired but also it affects the mental health. This kind of habit can result into depression, brain fog and small attention span kind of mental issues. For example- recent studies declared that 90% of working people are dealing with mental problems like stress, brain fog and depression. Some people don't even really realize that they are dealing with mental illness. However, others get to know through their friends and family and fix that with the help of them.

Secondly, not getting time for leisure activities makes you more exhausted and hyper. With passing time, it ruin your relationship with the close once as you hardly spent time with them on leisure activities. You get easily distant with them which gives more space for fights and misunderstandings. For instant- In recent published survey, it was mentioned that 88% of people are dealing with everyday household fights which are leading to divorce, separations and violence. And clearly the most recognizable reason behind is overtime hours at work and not getting time for family and other hobbies.

In conclusion, working overtime and not getting time for leisure activities is affecting the mental health of people and resulting in family separations. Moreover, it shows that balancing work life and personal life is mendatory.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have clearly stated your position that the situation has more disadvantages than advantages. You have addressed both the mental health impacts and the strain on personal relationships. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. While you provide examples, they are presented as general assertions rather than fully explored arguments. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are more detailed and that the link between the cause (long hours) and the effect (divorce/violence) is explained with more nuance. The response is relevant, but the depth of analysis remains at a mid-level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to signal the progression of your argument. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by repetitive sentence structures and slightly mechanical transitions. For example, the use of 'For instance' and 'For example' is frequent and predictable. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother, avoiding abrupt shifts in topic.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'mentally burnt out', 'brain fog', and 'mandatory'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'small attention span' (should be 'short attention span'), 'close once' (should be 'close ones'), and 'mendatory' (spelling error). While your meaning is generally clear, the vocabulary lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focus on learning common collocations and checking the spelling of key academic terms to enhance your lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('routine make', 'studies declared'), tense inconsistencies ('people spent'), and awkward phrasing ('result into'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of hyphens and capitalization. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to distract the reader. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and proofreading for common tense errors before finalizing your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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