Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-24

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 4.0)

Working overtime has now become a tradition, and most of the companies silently demands their employees to work that way, as they are able to get their job done without hiring more people. For that reason, many people work for extended hours and sacrifce all their leisure activites and fulfill their employers need. In my opinion, working overtime has more disadvantages over its advantage. This

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You state a clear position: “working overtime has more disadvantages,” and you give a relevant reason, namely that employers can avoid hiring additional staff. However, the response stops before explaining the disadvantages or comparing them with any advantages, so the task is addressed only minimally and the position is not supported with developed reasons or examples. The final word, “This,” also leaves the argument unfinished. The response is substantially below the required minimum of 250 words, which limits how fully you can address the question. To improve, explain at least two consequences of reduced leisure time, support them with examples, and make a clear comparison showing why the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The opening moves in a recognisable sequence from employers’ motives to employees’ long hours and then to your opinion. Linking phrases such as “For that reason” help show a cause-and-effect relationship. However, the response is only one unfinished paragraph, so there is no paragraphing to guide the reader through an introduction, supporting points, and conclusion. The final “This” signals that another idea was intended but does not complete it, leaving the progression abruptly broken. Develop separate paragraphs for your main reasons and conclusion, and use clear references to connect each point. At present, the limited organisation makes the argument difficult to follow beyond its initial claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “working overtime,” “extended hours,” “leisure activities,” and “hiring more people.” These choices make the general subject clear. However, the range is narrow because the response is very short, and some expressions are inaccurate or awkward: “sacrifce” and “activites” are misspelled, while “fulfill their employers need” is not a natural collocation and has an incorrect plural form. “Working overtime has now become a tradition” is also an imprecise way to describe a widespread workplace practice. Aim for accurate spelling and more natural phrases such as “meet employers’ staffing needs” or “a common workplace expectation,” then use a wider range to explain effects on health, relationships, and productivity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a complex sentence with “as they are able to get their job done without hiring more people,” and the main position is expressed in a straightforward sentence. However, grammatical control is uneven. In “most of the companies silently demands,” the plural subject requires “demand”; “their job done” would be clearer as “their work done”; and “their employers need” needs a possessive form and appropriate number. The final “This” is a sentence fragment, and the comparison “more disadvantages over its advantage” is not formed accurately. These errors are noticeable, although the central meaning remains understandable. Practise subject–verb agreement, possessives, and comparative structures, and check that every sentence is complete.

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.