Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people think that it’s a good idea to socialise with work colleagues during evenings and weekends. Other people think it’s important to keep working life completely separate from social life.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Some people believe that it is good to socialize with colleagues during weekends and evenings. While, others have an opposite opinion. In my perspective, it is ideal to socialize with colleagues as it allows us to know each other in a better way. However, we should maintain boundaries when sharing our personal information.
On the one hand, when we socialise with work colleagues during evenings and weekends, we can discuss our workplace concerns with them. It will help us to find solutions to our problems. Secondly, when we meet our colleagues outside workplace, we can have informal conversations and enjoy friendly time with each other. In this way, we can know them in a better way.
On the other hand, when we socialise with work colleagues during evenings and weekends, we sometimes end up sharing our personal information with them. They can use this information against us at our workplace. For example, one of my colleauges was preparing for an interview at a different company. One of our colleauges came
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 170 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you have addressed both sides of the argument and provided a clear personal position, the discussion is underdeveloped. The final paragraph is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a full exploration of your example and a proper conclusion. To improve, you must ensure you provide fully developed arguments with sufficient supporting details and a complete conclusion to meet the task requirements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, and you use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the progression of ideas is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels mechanical due to the limited length and the abrupt ending. To achieve a higher band, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'know each other in a better way' and 'enjoy friendly time' are functional but lack the precision and sophistication expected at higher levels. There are also minor spelling errors, such as 'colleauges'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to professional boundaries and workplace dynamics. Expanding your range will help you express your ideas with more nuance and impact.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally understandable, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'In my perspective' (should be 'From my perspective'). The punctuation is mostly correct, but the incomplete final sentence makes it impossible to assess the full range of your grammatical control. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of complex sentence forms, such as conditional clauses or relative clauses, and ensure that your sentences are complete and grammatically accurate throughout the entire essay.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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