Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-10

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 5.0)

Information is considered to be power in today's world. So sharing some valuable information freely can be considered unwise. Although I agree with it, there are some categories of information that should be shared with others.

Students and teachers from all over the world are doing new project, thesis and research. Their findings may not be something big, but by sharing it, someone else can find new ideas, ideas that can have huge impact in the world. Also, new businessmen can learn so many things from the older generation if they share their ideas also. New researchers are using the information shared by already established researchers.

But, there are some information that should be classified. Research findings that can create weapons of mass destruction cannot be just shared openly.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You present a relevant position: you agree that some information should not be shared freely, while also recognising benefits to sharing research and business knowledge. The examples of researchers building on others’ findings and restricting research that could enable weapons of mass destruction address both sides. However, the response only minimally develops the discussion: the benefits are asserted rather than explained with a specific example, and the case for protecting valuable business or academic information is largely absent. Your opinion is also only briefly stated. The response does not meet the 250-word minimum, which leaves important parts of the task insufficiently addressed. Develop each view with reasons and examples, then explain your position more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, understandable structure: an introduction states your position, a paragraph gives reasons for sharing, and a final paragraph introduces information that should be restricted. The contrastive opening of the last paragraph (“But”) helps signal a change in view. However, the discussion ends abruptly, and the ideas do not progress into a developed conclusion. Connections within the sharing paragraph are also quite loose: the points about students’ research, businessmen, and established researchers are listed without showing clearly how they relate. Use clearer topic sentences and linking phrases to explain relationships between examples, and add a concluding paragraph that restates your balanced position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “valuable information,” “research findings,” “weapons of mass destruction,” and “established researchers.” These choices make the main ideas clear and show some ability to discuss academic and scientific contexts. However, the range is limited, and several expressions are imprecise or repetitive, such as “new ideas” and “big.” Some collocations are awkward, including “doing new project” and “share their ideas also.” Aim for more precise terms and natural combinations, such as describing research as being conducted or findings as being disseminated. A broader range for discussing confidentiality, commercial advantage, and collaboration would help you express both sides more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and some more complex forms, including the concessive opening “Although I agree with it” and the relative clause “ideas that can have huge impact in the world.” Most sentences remain understandable, and the main message is not obscured. There are, however, errors in agreement, articles, and plural forms: “Students and teachers … are doing new project” needs a plural noun, while “there are some information” uses an uncountable noun as though it were plural. “Can have huge impact” also needs an article. To improve, check noun countability and article use, and practise combining related ideas into accurate complex sentences rather than relying mainly on short statements.

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