Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09
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)
It is often debatable whether hanging out with work mates after work is acceptable act or not. while some people believe that it is good move , others argue that it is prominent to have boundaries between personal and professional life. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why i believe latter is correct choice.
On the one hand, there are several reasons why people think socializing is important. The main reason is that it helps to boos relations among the colleagues. This means that emotional compatability brings the best harmony between them. For example, they would be able to connect well not only IQ but EQ levels contributing to overall prosperity in the teams. Another reason is that it contributes to building confidence in teams, which can promote trust building. Therefore, supporters of this view believe that socializing with work buddies is a positive idea.
On the other hand, others argue that there should be separation between work and prsonal life. One important reason is that it depicts professionalism. In other words, you get to respect boundaries . For Instance, favouritism can be avoided. Furthermore, it is boring to see same faces at work and outside of work place meaning that you narrow scale your social circle by having chunk of people to see every day. I agree more with this view because professional and personal lives are two different aspects of life that should not be mixed up.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the response is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the main points are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the argument regarding 'IQ and EQ' is mentioned but not fully explained in a practical context. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your examples and ensure the word count is met to allow for a more thorough exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore'. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, and the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on standard formulaic connectors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of unnatural word choices, such as 'boos relations' (likely meaning 'boost') and 'chunk of people'. Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'prsonal'. To improve, focus on learning collocations—words that naturally go together—and avoid informal phrasing like 'hanging out' or 'work buddies' in favor of more academic alternatives.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('the latter', 'the same faces'), incorrect verb forms ('it is prominent to have'), and punctuation issues. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to ensure your writing is more accurate and professional.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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