Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic: Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely. 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 beneficial to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and academic world. However, I concur with people who argue that some information is fundamental and invaluable to be given out freely.

On the one hand, researchers should not gate keep information because this knowledge can be used as a foundation to building stronger result in different fields. For instance, scholars should freely share the information they have about the cure of Cancer. This will help other experts in the same field to come to a conclusion instead of spending alot of money to start afresh. As a result, there could be a better understanding of the process and ultimately this may lead them to finding a viable cure leading to a healthier society.

On the other hand, it is often expensive and a tedious process for intellectuals to gain information on certain studies. They use alot of resources and time that can not be refunded back. For instance, a discovery about early man. Charles Darwin and other scholars spend time in Africa trying to understand each fossil and how it came into being. Therefore, these studies should not be freely shared without acknowledging the founders and appreciating their work. These studies should be monetized so that other experts can get the motivation to do more research and help the society.

In conclusion, although information act as a basis for better results it is prudent to show gratitude to founders of certain information because it is not to crack a code when doing research.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both positions and state your own view in the introduction, favouring protection and recognition for valuable research. The cancer example supports open sharing, while the discussion of researchers’ time and resources explains why some findings should not be freely distributed. However, the second position is developed more clearly than the first, and the argument would be stronger if you distinguished between restricting access and sharing information with proper credit or payment. The Darwin example also needs a clearer link to the claim about valuable information, and the conclusion’s point about gratitude does not fully resolve when information should be shared. Develop these distinctions and make your final position more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. The signposts “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the main stages easy to follow. Within paragraphs, however, some links between claims are not fully clear. For example, the move from Darwin’s fieldwork to the proposal that studies “should be monetized” needs an explanation of how payment would recognise researchers while still allowing useful access. The conclusion also introduces “crack a code” without a clear connection to the preceding argument. Use more precise referencing and connect each example explicitly to the point it is meant to support.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “foundation,” “viable cure,” “intellectuals,” “discovery,” and “monetized.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and the meaning is generally understandable. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or imprecise, such as “stronger result,” “come to a conclusion” in the context of research, and “information is fundamental and invaluable to be given out freely.” There are also spelling or form issues in “alot” and “gate keep.” Aim for more natural academic phrasing and check compound forms. More precise vocabulary would also help distinguish sharing findings, granting access, acknowledging authorship, and charging for research.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “instead of,” and “although,” and the overall meaning is usually clear. Some grammatical errors remain. For example, “information act” needs subject–verb agreement, “a foundation to building” has an incorrect grammatical pattern, and “Charles Darwin and other scholars spend time” uses a verb form that does not fit the past-time reference. Article and plural choices also need attention in phrases such as “in academic world” and “stronger result.” The final sentence, “it is not to crack a code,” is grammatically unclear. Review agreement, verb tense, articles, and sentence construction, then proofread complex sentences for clarity.

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