Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27
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)
In this modern society, many people have perception that socialise with colleagues with whom they are working whole day is good after working hours or on weekends Whereas, few people think that it’s more essential to keep work life and social life separate. This essay will discuss both views in upcoming paragraphs.
First and foremost, interacting with peers help us to increase productivity to explain further, on big workplaces sometimes workload is high that workers do not have some time to talk with each other this can lead to stress that can direct effect on their productivity whereas if co- workers will interact with each other productivity can be improved company can achieve higher success. Secondly, it builds stronger team trust which plays prominent role in each and every workplace in order to maintain good performance.
On the other hand, separating work and social life is also crucial as privacy matters sometimes individuals who are having good relations today with each other tomorrow there could be any conflict because of some misunderstanding and any other reason so keep everything private and confidential can reduce office drama and no extra gossips.
In conclusion, while interacting and keep privacy is crucial but peers interaction is more important as its increase productivity and reduce stress.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, but the development of ideas is limited. The essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum (212 words), which negatively impacts the depth of the argument. While the points regarding productivity and team trust are relevant, they are not fully supported with specific examples or detailed explanations. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not adequately summarise the main points. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed reasoning and ensure you meet the minimum word count requirement to allow for a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Whereas, few people think' is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link the two contrasting views. Additionally, the flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between productivity and team trust feels abrupt. Improving the variety and precision of linking words and ensuring clear logical progression between sentences would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'socialise with colleagues with whom they are working whole day' and 'no extra gossips'. The use of 'big workplaces' is also quite simplistic. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary. Focus on learning how to integrate less common words naturally rather than relying on basic, repetitive language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'on big workplaces'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'interacting with peers help us'), and run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. For instance, the sentence 'on big workplaces sometimes workload is high that workers do not have some time' is grammatically fragmented. You need to focus on subject-verb agreement, proper article usage, and sentence boundary control to improve your accuracy and range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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