Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-16

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)

Nowadays, the sleep cycle of many people has been disturbed by many reasons which can create many health issues in the future such as fatigue, diabetes and weight gain. However, the sleep quality can be improved with the help of a good diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

The main issue which people can face by not having enough sleep is low energy. Every human being needs at least eight hours of sleep in order to recharge and recover from the strain applied to the muscles and brain. Due to lack of sleep people would not be able to repair the muscle tissues, and also the brain might not be refreshed. As a result, a person who slept just for four hours would feel zero energy even as soon as he or she wakes up in the morning.

Many health problems would start arising after some time such as high blood-pressure, diabetes and weak immunity. As while sleeping the body fights against any disease or virus which has just started creating issues within the human body and preventing several types of sickness. Without eight hours sleep body may be more vulnerable to the diseases and can get easily sick. Eventually, a person would easily indulge in serious illness by not sleeping for an adequate period of time.

However, a healthy lifestyle could easily assist people in having a good quality sleep and live a healthy lifestyle. By eating healthy and doing exercise regularly people cannot only sleep well at night but they can also feel more healthy and strong. With a nutritious diet that includes zinc and magnesium can help in improving sleep quality, and physical activities can make people fall asleep faster than anything else. Consequently, people would be able to mitigate the detrimental health risks by sleeping adequately.

In conclusion, although the health problems are serious which a person can face with the lack of sleep, by following a strict diet plan and performing some physical activities can make them even more healthy and strong.

AI examiner evaluation

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 and generally well-developed, such as the discussion on muscle recovery and immunity. However, the development is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the conclusion where the points about diet and exercise are restated without adding new depth. The position is clear throughout, but the essay would benefit from more specific examples or a more nuanced exploration of the solutions beyond just diet and exercise to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However,' 'As a result,' and 'Consequently,' which help guide the reader through the argument. While the progression is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The use of referencing is mostly clear, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to avoid a choppy feel. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to a coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific terminology like 'mitigate,' 'detrimental,' and 'nutritious.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat basic words like 'healthy' and 'sleep' frequently. Some collocations are slightly unnatural, such as 'indulge in serious illness,' which is not the standard usage. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise synonyms and varied academic collocations to demonstrate a wider range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'With a nutritious diet that includes zinc and magnesium can help' (incorrect sentence structure) and 'by following a strict diet plan and performing some physical activities can make them' (subject-verb agreement/structure issues). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures would be required for a band 7 or above.

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

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