Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

It is very common nowadays that many people are having less sleep because of their hectic schedule and suffering from various health problems caused by less sleep. There are several ways in which people can get cure. This essay will shed some light on the problems occur from less sleep and the ways to cure from it.

One major problem caused by lack of sleep is poor mental performance. An individual who sleeps regularly 5-6 hours a day often find it difficult to concentrate, remember information and making decisions. As a result, students may perform poorly in their studies while employees can not concentrate and focus on their work. For example, a university student who do not sleep sufficiently may struggle to concentrate during lectures and need extra time for assignments. Additionally, having less sleep not only create health problems but also mental problems. People who are not having enough sleep may suffer from problems like, obesity, high blood pressure and become lazy, lose confidence.

On the other hand, there are several ways in which people can tackle these problems. The first and foremost way is that people should make a consistent habit to go to bed early and wake up same time everyday. People should avoid using mobile phone, laptop and computer before bedtime so that they get sleep early. Furthermore, pupils should reduce consumption of caffeine in the evening as a result they get good sleep. Employers can also contribute for reducing excessive workload and encouraging reasonable working hours. This would allow people to maintain proper balance into their professional and personal life.

To put it in a nutshell, although having less sleep create numerous health and mental problems however, there are various ways in which people can get cure through consistent habit of sleep early and maintaining balance in their work life and personal life.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.0
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the problems caused by lack of sleep and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as poor mental performance and the impact of technology, and they are supported with examples like university students and employees. However, the development is somewhat basic. For instance, the discussion on health problems is a list of conditions (obesity, high blood pressure) without further elaboration on how sleep deprivation leads to these specific outcomes. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'why' and 'how' behind your points rather than just listing them. Overall, the position is clear and the response is well-structured for the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use cohesive devices such as 'One major problem', 'Additionally', 'On the other hand', and 'To put it in a nutshell' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'there are several ways in which'. The referencing is generally clear, though the concluding sentence is a bit clunky due to the redundant use of 'however' after 'although'. Improving the variety of your linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'hectic schedule', 'sufficiently', and 'consumption'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'get cure' (should be 'find a cure' or 'remedy the situation') and 'contribute for reducing' (should be 'contribute to reducing'). While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, some phrasing remains slightly simplistic. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use some complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'a university student who do not sleep', 'having less sleep create') and article usage. Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as the unnecessary comma after 'like' in the first paragraph. While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent verb tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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