Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-13

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)

Contrary to some people's belief that information about scientific research, business and the academic world in general should be freely shared with other people, I personally believe that these kind of information should be kept to one's self.

We live in a world where people hardly think for themselves but want to reap the benefits of good ideas.

Solutions to research problems or discovery of viable business models are products of deep thinking, questioning, observation and interrogation.

Digging deep to find these answers does not come cheaply. At best, the person who has made any of these groundbreaking discoveries can decide to sell his or her ideas for a price. That way, the beneficiary gets to appreciate the idea or solution even better.

I personally developed a business idea that would help a startup tech company in company in Lagos to attract high paying clients. The mistake I made was discussing the entire idea with my friend. I gave him every detail of how I researched about the tech company and the major challenges they faced and also how I drafted a practical tool that will enable them overcome their greatest challenge which was getting clients that pay big money.

The next day, my friend went to the tech company and sold the idea to them at the cost of Five Million Naira.

By the time I got to the company the next week, i was informed that Mr. Chibuike Ezike had already given them the solution they need and that i should look elsewhere.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

Your position is clear from the opening: you believe valuable information should not be shared freely, and the personal story about your business idea gives a relevant example of why. However, the response does not adequately discuss both views. The benefits of sharing scientific, business, or academic information are not explained, and the argument is almost entirely about protecting business ideas. The claim that people “hardly think for themselves” is broad and is not supported with evidence. To strengthen the response, explain a specific benefit of open sharing, such as enabling researchers to build on one another’s findings, then develop your view with a balanced reason and a clearer conclusion. The example is vivid, but it cannot substitute for addressing the full task.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a generally understandable sequence: you state your position, give a reason, and then illustrate it with a personal experience. The narrative is easy to follow from sharing the idea with your friend to discovering that it had been sold. However, the response has limited paragraph development, and the shift from general claims to the personal story is abrupt. There is also no concluding paragraph to bring the discussion together. Some links between ideas are implicit rather than clearly signposted, while the repeated use of “I personally” makes the progression feel less controlled. Organise the response into distinct paragraphs for each view, your example, and your conclusion, using clear transitions to show how each point supports your argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for explaining your position and describing the example. Phrases such as “groundbreaking discoveries,” “viable business models,” and “practical tool” help communicate the subject clearly, and the account remains understandable. There are, however, some awkward or imprecise choices, including “these kind of information,” “reap the benefits of good ideas,” and “pay big money.” “Interrogation” is also an unusual fit for the process of developing research solutions; “investigation” would be more natural. Aim for precise academic collocations and avoid informal wording when discussing the general issue. A broader range of vocabulary for the benefits and risks of sharing information would also help you develop both sides of the topic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the relative clause in “a business idea that would help a startup tech company” and the longer sentence explaining the challenges and proposed tool. Most of the meaning is clear, and errors do not generally prevent the reader from following the story. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain: “these kind of information” should be “this kind of information,” and “i” should be capitalised as “I.” The phrase “in company in Lagos” also contains a repeated element that disrupts the sentence. Review agreement, pronoun capitalisation, and sentence editing, especially in longer constructions. More accurate control of these forms, alongside varied sentence structures, would make the response smoother.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.