Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-12
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 5.5)
One of the most common health issues of people which they are undergoing is insufficient sleep cycles. This essay will highlight the potential causes of insufficient sleep cycles among people and I will conclude with my opinion.
Disturbed sleep cycle could be linked to medical reasons but most of them are linked to bad habits. Let's start with excessive screen time where people stay glued to their phones scrolling reels or checking photos of celebrities, their friends, families or random updates. Today's generation is heavily dependent on mobile phones for their source of entertainment. Even while travelling to theit school, colleges or workplace still people use their phone to check notifications or social media.
This constant state of alertness causes hyper sensitivity of the brain, and causes irritation to eyes. So, when people want to sleep still their brain is in hyper alert mode and does not send a relaxing message to body to sleep or rest.
As per second point, high stress working environment causes excessive stress hormones in people which leads to disturbed sleep cycles.
I believe people must engage in
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 183 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the essay identifies causes such as screen time and stress, the second part of the prompt—solutions—is left completely unaddressed as the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence. Because the task is not fully addressed and the development is severely curtailed by the length, the response cannot progress beyond a band 5. To improve, you must ensure you provide a full, balanced response to all parts of the prompt and expand your arguments with specific examples and explanations to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows a basic attempt at organization with an introduction and body paragraphs. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow and logical progression of the argument. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'As per second point' and 'So, when people', but they are somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward. Paragraphing is present, but the incomplete nature of the final paragraph makes the structure feel unfinished. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence followed by fully developed supporting points.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'insufficient sleep cycles', 'hyper sensitivity', and 'stress hormones'. However, there are some repetitive phrases and slightly unnatural collocations, such as 'undergoing is insufficient sleep cycles' or 'send a relaxing message to body'. The range is limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary and ensure your word choices are precise and contextually appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'One of the most common health issues of people which they are undergoing' (awkward phrasing) and 'theit school' (typo). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure is sometimes repetitive. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To reach a higher band, focus on increasing the variety of your sentence structures, such as using more subordinate clauses, and proofread carefully to eliminate minor slips and spelling errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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