Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-01

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)

Nowadays, many people work long hours and have very little time for leisure activities. Although working for longer can provide some important benefits, I believe that this situation has more disadvantages overall.

One major advantage of working long hours is that people can earn more money. This can help them afford better housing, education, holidays and other necessities. In addition, spending more time at work may allow employees to gain valuable experience and develop their careers. For example, a young employee who works extra hours may learn new skills and have a better chance of receiving a promotion.

However, there are several serious disadvantages. Firstly, working for long periods can cause stress, tiredness and poor physical health. When people are constantly busy, they may not get enough sleep or exercise. Secondly, having little free time can negatively affect relationships. People may rarely spend time with their families or friends, which can make them feel lonely. Finally, leisure activities are important because they allow people to relax and maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life.

For instance, a person who spends most of the week at work may have no energy to play sports, meet friends or enjoy hobbies at the weekend. Over time, this lifestyle can reduce their happiness and overall quality of life.

In conclusion, although long working hours can provide financial and career benefits, I believe the disadvantages are greater because they can harm people's health, relationships and quality of life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of working long hours, culminating in a clear position that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Ideas are generally relevant, covering financial gains, career progression, health impacts, and social relationships. However, some points show signs of under-development, lacking deeper elaboration or more specific personal examples beyond a general employee scenario. Furthermore, it is important to note that the length requirement is not met, as the response is slightly below the mandatory two-hundred-and-fifty-word minimum. To reach a higher level, the writer should fully develop all ideas with richer context and ensure the word count requirement is fully satisfied.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the introduction to advantages, disadvantages, a supporting example, and a well-synthesised conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'One major advantage', 'In addition', 'However', 'Firstly', and 'Finally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is managed logically and appropriately. To achieve the highest bands, referencing and logical transitions could be made even more seamless and unobtrusive, reducing any reliance on standard formulaic signposts while maintaining the strong structural framework already demonstrated.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, displaying sufficient range to discuss work-life balance topics with some precision. The writer successfully employs relevant lexical items such as 'necessities', 'career progression', 'physical health', and 'quality of life'. Attempts are made to use less common vocabulary, though occasional slight inaccuracies in word choice or collocation may appear, such as the general phrasing of certain examples. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate and do not impede communication. To move towards a higher band, the student should incorporate a wider variety of sophisticated, less common lexical items with more natural, idiomatic control and stylistic flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammar and punctuation, featuring a variety of complex sentence structures alongside simple forms. Frequent error-free sentences are present, such as in the conditional and relative clauses embedded within the arguments (e.g., 'When people are constantly busy, they may not get enough sleep or exercise'). Control over verb forms, tenses, and article usage is generally strong with only a few minor slips that do not disrupt comprehension. To attain an even higher standing, the writer needs to incorporate a wider range of sophisticated syntactic structures consistently while maintaining near-total grammatical accuracy across the entire text.

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.