Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-17

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 7.0)

An exponential surge has been seen in the changed attitude of people towards work-life balance, prioritizing working for long hours while almost completely neglecting the activities to unwind. This particular choice of life made by humans has garnered a significant debate that whether it has more merits or demerits. I, however, find the situation to be more disadvantageous which will be explored in the subsequent writing.

There is no denying the fact that working for longer durations is imperative these days to fulfill the demands of today's life, but the unseen downsides of this mere fulfillment cannot be overlooked. Among all the negative impacts of this prevalent adoption, what stands out the most is the extreme frustration of mind. When a mind is overwhelmed and mental fatigue is at peak, it cannot operate to its full efficiency, leading to minimal concentration and hence, poor performance. Not only does this selection results in lessened working efficiency, but it also immensely affects a person's physical as well as mental health which is the primary foundation of an individual's life. Consequently, the sacrifice a person is doing by working long in order to earn more, is actually deteriorating his whole life in small chunks.

Another significant factor that is worth considering is the weakened bonds with family because of working all day. Many a time, it has been witnessed that the bread winner of the family often ends up spending least time with his partner along with parents and children. This becomes a stern underlying factor behind the loss of family bonding, giving a realization of sacrifice at the end. Moreover, leisure activities are quite essential to freshen one's mind, to maintain a balance between personal and professional life, and to help ameliorate overall productivity of life, work and relations.

To encapsulate, although working through day and night provides numerous benefits for life, but the downsides weights more in this case. Therefore, one should seek an equilibrium between the two states, so that mind and body of the person remain in a healthy stage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating a position on whether long working hours have more advantages or disadvantages and supporting it with relevant arguments. The writer introduces the topic effectively in the introduction, declaring the situation to be more disadvantageous. In the body paragraphs, the writer extends and supports ideas well, discussing the negative impacts on mental health, physical well-being, and family relationships. For instance, the argument regarding extreme mental fatigue and its impact on working efficiency is well-developed. While there is a slight over-generalisation at times, the ideas are thoroughly explored throughout, aligning well with the Band 7 criteria.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with the introduction, moving to individual and health impacts in paragraph two, family and relationship dynamics in paragraph three, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Consequently', 'Another significant factor', and 'To encapsulate', although some transitions are slightly mechanical, such as 'This particular choice of life made by humans'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to group related ideas together.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, employing less common lexical items such as 'exponential surge', 'ameliorate', 'underlying factor', and 'equilibrium'. There is some awareness of style and collocation, although a few minor inaccuracies occur, such as 'this selection results in' instead of 'this choice results in' and 'downsides weights more' instead of 'downsides outweigh the benefits'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the overall lexical control sits comfortably at a Band 7 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good variety of complex structures, such as participial phrases ('leaving very little time', 'leading to minimal concentration') and subordinate clauses. There are frequent error-free sentences, and the writer demonstrates good overall control of grammar. A few minor errors persist, such as 'that whether it has' (unnecessary 'that') and 'the sacrifice a person is doing' (better phrased as 'making'). Punctuation is generally accurate, and complex structures are handled with reasonable competence, supporting a Band 7 score.

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