Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep. What problems can lack of sleep cause? What can be done about lack of sleep?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Inadequate sleep is a common problem faced by many people in present times. While it causes multiple health problems and reduces work productivity, it can be mitigated by adopting healthy changes in lifestyle and by meditation.

The significant negative effect of sleeplessness is poor mental and physical health. While sleeping, cells in almost all organs in our bodies repair themselves which allows the body to rest and recover. Since lack of sleep does not let an individual rest and recover properly, it puts a constant strain on many physiological systems such as the cardiovascular and the nervous systems. This consequently results in the development of both physical and mental illnesses. Furthermore, due to lack of sleep people become less attentive and they function less efficiently, which reduces their productivity at work. As a result, they may face formidable situations like criticism at work or a job loss.

Turning to solutions, many scientific studies have acknowledged small changes in lifestyle as the easiest and simplest way to deal with sleeplessness. Moderate intensity exercise for 150 minutes per week significantly improves the quality of sleep. Additionally, mind training method such as meditation has proved to be a boon for this issue. This is because meditation helps to lower the stress and anxiety numerous people feel in present times. For instance, a recent study at the University of Toronto showed 70% of participants who used to suffer from poor sleep reported drastic improvement in their sleep after a month of meditation.

in conclusion, certainly poor sleep causes physical, emotional and economic challenges, small changes in lifestyle such as exercise and mind training technique like meditation have proved to be successful to improve sleep quality.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt: the consequences of sleep deprivation and potential solutions. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of cardiovascular strain and the specific study from the University of Toronto. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. The arguments are logical and directly answer the prompt, demonstrating a strong understanding of the task requirements. The response is well-structured, ensuring that both the problems and solutions are given balanced attention.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the problems and the solutions is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'As a result', and 'Turning to solutions' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow of information is natural, and the relationship between ideas is consistently clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and precise, allowing for a clear expression of ideas. The student uses topic-specific terminology such as 'physiological systems', 'cardiovascular', and 'mitigated' appropriately. While there are no major errors, the range could be slightly more varied to reach the highest band. The use of collocations is generally accurate, and the language is natural and fits the academic tone required for this task. There are no spelling errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a good command of complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'While' clauses and conditional-like structures. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are minor slips, such as the missing capitalization at the start of the final paragraph ('in conclusion') and a slight awkwardness in 'mind training method such as meditation' (should be plural 'methods'). However, these are rare and do not impede the overall clarity of the message.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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