Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-25
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 5.5)
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE WORKING FOR LONG HOURS INSTEAD OF GIVING MORE TIME TO LEISURE ACTIVITIES. WHILE THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS OF THIS, I BELEEVE it contains many drawbacks.
on the one hand, when people do more focus on their work instead of doing other activities, they can earn more. Because they are working for longer hours, which can be become them financially strong. they can buy luxary things such as cars, house and can explore beautiful places. Also, if people spend more hours on their work place, they can save that money for their future. because future is predictable so if they will have any health issues or any money related issues so that time they can use that money, which they saved.
on the other hand, people should daily give some time to yourself. In fast-paste time, people have many tensions or many health problems so if they do some activities in their spare time, they can take relief from stress. Moreover, if they spend more hours on work place, they can not give time to their family or children. Due to these things, they can not build strong relationship with them.
In conclusion, although there some advantages working for long hours, i believe it contains number of disadvantages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages; however, it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 212 words. This under-length significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the position is clear, the arguments are somewhat superficial and lack the depth required for a higher band. For instance, the point about 'future being predictable' is logically weak and underdeveloped. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and specific examples to ensure the response is sufficiently comprehensive.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'on the one hand', 'on the other hand', and 'moreover' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the transitions between sentences could be smoother. There are also issues with referencing; for example, the phrase 'due to these things' is vague and does not clearly link back to the previous point. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. You rely on basic terms like 'financially strong', 'luxary things', and 'fast-paste time' (likely meaning 'fast-paced'). There are several spelling errors, such as 'BELEEVE' and 'luxary', which detract from the quality of the writing. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary and collocations, and ensure that your spelling is accurate. Avoid repetitive phrasing and try to incorporate more topic-specific terminology related to work-life balance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'which can be become them financially strong' and 'people should daily give some time to yourself'. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'on the one hand, when people do more focus'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like incorrect verb forms and pronoun agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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