Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-30
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)
Nowadays, sharing crucial and valuable information has become a subject of considerable debate. Some people believe that important information should be shared as freely as possible, whereas others argue that some information is too sensitive or dangerous to share freely. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why I believe that apart from sensitive information general information should be shared freely.
On the one hand, there are several reasons why people believe that it is essential to share as much information as possible. The main reason
behind this view is to accelerate innovation and scientific discoveries. This is because individuals can innovate new techniques and do research on the available information. For example, researchers can conduct detailed research on the available free Essential data for climate change, renewable energy, air pollution and traffic problems. Therefore, necessary information should be free for everyone to access.
On the other hand, others argue that some vital facts is too sensitive or harmful to be shared freely. One major reason is that it can prevent unauthorized access and data misuse. For instance, financial reports of a company or employees' data should not be publicly available to access the data. Consequently, only authorized users can access the sensitive information. In my view, this argument is more convincing because information privacy is crucial for everybody.
In conclusion, both views have valid points. However, I believe that privacy of information is more beneficial because sharing all important information can lead to data leak and privacy issues.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on sharing information freely and providing a clear personal opinion. The writer establishes a position in the introduction and maintains it throughout the essay. The ideas are generally relevant, such as mentioning scientific discovery and data protection. However, the development of ideas remains somewhat basic and lacks depth. For instance, the example regarding climate change and renewable energy is stated rather than fully extended, and the conclusion slightly contradicts the body paragraph by focusing narrowly on data leaks rather than the broader economic and security concerns previously mentioned. Overall, the performance aligns with the Band 6 descriptors because it addresses all parts of the task, but some ideas are under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression from the introduction, through the two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, to the conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each main idea given its own paragraph. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion', to signal transitions between ideas. However, referencing and cohesion can occasionally be mechanical or repetitive. For example, the phrase 'available information' and 'available free Essential data' is somewhat repetitive. Furthermore, pronoun referencing occasionally lacks clarity. Despite these minor flaws, the organizational structure is clear enough to earn a solid Band 6.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their main ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common and topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'innovation', 'unauthorized access', and 'data misuse'. However, there are noticeable lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations. For instance, the phrase 'vital facts is' contains a subject-verb agreement error alongside an inappropriate lexical choice (facts instead of information). Additionally, 'free Essential data' and 'conduct detailed research on the available free' demonstrate repetition and restricted lexical flexibility. Spelling is generally accurate, but the limitations in precision and range place this response firmly in the Band 6 category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of subordinate clauses introduced by 'because' and 'whereas'. There are instances of successful complex phrasing, but control over grammar is inconsistent. A clear grammatical error occurs with subject-verb agreement in the sentence 'some vital facts is too sensitive', where the plural subject 'facts' is paired with the singular verb 'is'. Other minor issues include capitalization errors, such as 'Essential data'. While these errors do not impede overall communication and the meaning remains clear, the frequency of basic grammatical slips prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Therefore, a Band 6 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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