Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-20

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)

In today's rapidly evolving world, working prolonged hours has become increasingly common. This trend has attracted considerable attention because of its potential effects on individulas and society. While it offers several advantages, it also presents certain disadvantages. In my opinion, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages because of some reasons.

One major disadvantage of working long hours is that increase of physical strain on individual's body. This is mainly because working long hours provide workers with insufficient amount of time which degrades their rest taking ability. As a result, involved individuals manage to find little to no time for mandatory recovery for body which make them vulnerable to diseases. In addition to this, such workers are more likely to develop an adverse mental illness called depression. For instance, a vast study performed in 2023 about workers dedicating more hours to their jobs were found to be living in a guilt regarding working extra potentially showing signs of early depression.

However, long working hours also has certain benefits, particularly betterment of financial stability among such workers. This is primarily because working long hours provide the workers lucrative opportunities such as promotions and incentives at their jobs thereby, allowing them to earn more money which helps them to make both the ends meet. Consequently, substantial growth at work provides families with all the basic rudimentary facilities whcih raises their quality of life. Another benefit is that such individuals seek motivation through working prolonged hours which inculates essential values among them such as

In conclusion , although money making

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You give a clear overall view that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, and you identify relevant effects such as physical strain, depression, and improved financial stability. However, the response only partially develops the task: the disadvantages receive more explanation, while the benefits are less fully supported. The final benefit about motivation and values is left unfinished, and the conclusion, “although money making,” does not complete your position or summarise the comparison. The example about a 2023 study is also difficult to assess because its finding is not clearly explained. To strengthen the response, complete every point, explain how each side affects leisure time, and end with a clear comparison supporting your view.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on disadvantages, a paragraph on advantages, and an attempted conclusion. Linking phrases such as “As a result,” “In addition to this,” and “However” help signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is weakened by the unfinished final sentence in the advantages paragraph and the incomplete conclusion, so the argument does not reach a logical ending. Some connections are also unclear: the study example does not clearly show how its finding supports the point about depression, and “Consequently” introduces a result without a fully clear link. Develop each paragraph to a complete point and use transitions to show the precise relationship between claim, explanation, and example.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary and attempt less common expressions, including “prolonged hours,” “physical strain,” “financial stability,” and “lucrative opportunities.” These choices show an effort to discuss the topic precisely, although some are inaccurate or unnatural in context. For example, “rest taking ability” and “make both the ends meet” do not express the intended ideas naturally, while “rudimentary facilities” is an awkward choice for basic necessities. There are also spelling errors, including “individulas,” “whcih,” and “incul ates” (written as “incul ates” in the response). Aim for natural collocations and check spelling; precise, familiar wording is more effective than an ambitious phrase used inaccurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including explanations introduced by “because” and result clauses beginning “which.” However, grammatical control is uneven, and errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “One major disadvantage … is that increase” (missing a subject or article), “working long hours provide” (subject–verb agreement), and “which make them vulnerable” (agreement with the preceding noun). The sentence about the study also has a faulty structure: “a vast study … were found to be living” makes the study appear to be the people being studied. The final sentence is incomplete, and punctuation around “In conclusion” is incorrect. Practise checking sentence subjects, verb forms, and complete clauses before submission.

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