Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22

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 6.5)

It is highly debatable issue that, majority of the population is working extensively these days and they do not have any personal time to spend away from work. I strongly believe that this trend brings more drawbacks than benefits. In this essay I will discuss both sides and give my opinion.

To begin with, It is understandable that work is crucial to keep our lives running smoothly. However, enjoying time with yourself and family is also necessary. A person should "work to live, not to live for work", there should be healthy balance between personal and professional life. Working excessively not only brings health issues like stress and depression, but also foster distance and misunderstandings among family members especially between couples. For example, most of the couples fight and end up giving up on each other, due to lack of communication and time for each other, which eventually leads to divorce. Recent studies in UK 2026, shows that divorce rates in metropolitan countries are increased by 70% as compared to rural area, where people only work from 09:00-17:00 and take off on weekends.

On the other side, work not only handle our expenses but also gives a person a sense of purpose. Without a job it's impossible to survive in today's world. An unemployed person can become lethargic with time or might get involved into some criminal activities to fulfil his needs. Eventually, free human brain is highly prone to attract negative thoughts or activities so sometimes keeping ourselves occupied is also necessary.

To conclude with, I strongly admit that employment is important for both our physical and mental well-being. However, it is of utmost necessity to keep a healthy balance between both to lead a successful and happy life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the task, clearly stating your position that the trend of working long hours has more disadvantages. Your arguments regarding health and family life are relevant and well-supported. However, the development of the counter-argument regarding the benefits of work is slightly less nuanced. While you mention that work provides purpose and prevents criminal activity, this could have been expanded further to reach a higher band. The example provided regarding UK divorce rates is specific but feels slightly forced as a statistic. To improve, ensure that your supporting examples are more naturally integrated and that the balance between the two sides of the argument is more even in terms of depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'On the other side' to guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'both' in the conclusion, which is slightly ambiguous as it refers back to the concepts of work and personal life rather than the two sides of the argument. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'extensively', 'lethargic', and 'utmost necessity'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'metropolitan countries' (which should likely be 'metropolitan areas' or 'cities') and 'free human brain is highly prone to attract negative thoughts' (which is slightly unnatural phrasing). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, these occasional slips prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on collocations and ensuring that your word choices are precise and contextually appropriate for formal writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'It is highly debatable issue' (missing article 'a'), 'Recent studies in UK 2026, shows' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'involved into' (incorrect preposition). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. You have a good grasp of sentence variety, but you need to pay closer attention to articles, prepositions, and subject-verb agreement to ensure your writing is more accurate and professional.

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

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