Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22
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)
Yes, some people believe that sharing all information publicly is important, so that everyone gain knowledge and share their own ideas, information and point of view, which helps the person to learn more and helps them to goes deep into the research. But some people have different opinion about it, they mention it can lead into wrong hands and also it not good to share all important and valuable research to publicly.
In my opinion, it depends on the research. If the research is going to be good for our environment, for our society and it gives benefits to all sectors which help them to gain knowledge and also help people to learn and also help them to educate more. So sharing it publicly is a good option so that everyone can access it and use it for good. For example people don’t have enough idea about how plastic is bad for our environment and for our health, but when the important came into news, articles and social media, people start taking it seriously and they start use the alternative of plastic and also demand the government to ban the single use of plastic. This research help the public to learn deeply about how bad the plastic really is.
But as i mentioned some people have different perspectives about it and i also totally agree with that, some information have to be hidden from public from their own benefit. Because sharing some confidential data publicly lead to disaster and we don’t know where it take us,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is limited. The explanation of why information should be shared is supported by an example regarding plastic, but the discussion on why information should be kept confidential is underdeveloped and lacks specific examples. The conclusion is abrupt and incomplete, failing to fully synthesise the arguments presented. To improve, you should ensure each body paragraph has a clear topic sentence and fully developed supporting evidence, and provide a more comprehensive concluding summary that restates your position clearly.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often mechanical. You rely on simple connectors like 'but' and 'so' to link sentences, which limits the sophistication of your writing. There is a lack of varied cohesive devices to signal logical relationships between arguments. For instance, the transition between the benefits of sharing information and the risks of confidentiality is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'on the other hand') to improve the logical progression of your arguments.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You repeat basic words such as 'good', 'help', and 'important' frequently. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'the important came into news' and 'goes deep into the research'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'transparency', 'intellectual property', 'sensitive data', or 'dissemination'. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on correct word forms will significantly enhance your lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone gain knowledge', 'people start use'), incorrect verb forms ('helps them to goes deep'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and a lack of proper sentence termination in the final paragraph. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring subject-verb agreement, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb tenses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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