Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-01

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)

The topic given states how one school of thought believes that it is essential to share every information possible in scientific research, business and academic world however the other believes that some information is too important to be spread freely. I personally support the first statement because these are often matters of critical importance.

Scientific research for instance can save somebody's life. For example- A cure to cancer or even a hope that arises from small inventions that can be a full blown treatment eventually can help bring a hope in a patient and his family who have been struggling because of this disease.However, I believe that an invention like nuclear bombs if shared publicly can raise safety concerns and lead to political disputes.

While it is very important for Businesses to be transparent to its shareholders, not everything in a business must be revealed.For examples insider information might bring fluctuations in the stock market.

I also believe that information in academic world can do no harm as long as it in ethical and in the interest of the students as knowledge is better shared than kept inside.

To conclude, i believe that while instituitions should share most of the information publicly and develop trust of the parties involved, some information should be kept private.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

First, it must be noted that the response falls short of the minimum word requirement of 250 words, containing only 215 words. Regarding the content, the essay addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views on sharing information and providing a personal opinion. However, the treatment of the ideas remains limited and under-developed. For example, while the writer mentions that scientific research can save lives and gives the example of a cure for cancer, the explanation is brief and jumps abruptly to the contrasting idea of nuclear bombs without sufficient elaboration. Similarly, the points regarding business transparency and academia are generalized and lack fully extended supporting examples. The position is stated, but the overall development is curtailed by the limited length and depth of the arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response shows some organization with a recognizable introduction, body paragraphs addressing different domains, and a conclusion, but there is no clear overall progression. Paragraphing is attempted, though some paragraphs mix contrasting ideas rather than focusing on a single coherent theme. For instance, the second paragraph discusses both the life-saving benefits of scientific research and the dangers of nuclear bombs together without a smooth transition. Cohesive devices are used, but they tend to be basic or slightly mechanical (e.g., 'For example', 'However', 'While it is very important', 'To conclude'). Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as pronoun use and transitions between sentences, which affects the overall flow and logical progression of the arguments.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, providing a sufficient range to convey basic ideas about science, business, and academia. However, the lexical range is limited, and there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as referring to 'every information' instead of 'all information' or 'information ... in ethical' instead of 'ethical'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'transparent', 'fluctuations', and 'instituitions', but these are accompanied by spelling slips ('instituitions') and minor inaccuracies. While communication is not severely impaired, the vocabulary lacks the precision and flexibility needed to score higher, remaining basic and repetitive in places.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on simple sentences alongside a few basic attempts at complex forms. There are frequent grammatical errors that can cause some difficulty for the reader. Issues include problems with article usage (e.g., 'in academic world' missing the article), singular and plural agreement (e.g., 'Businesses to be transparent to its shareholders'), and incomplete or awkward dependent clauses (e.g., 'as long as it in ethical'). Punctuation errors and missing spaces after punctuation marks (e.g., 'disease.However', 'revealed.For examples') also detract from the control of grammar and mechanics. These persistent errors reflect a struggle to maintain accuracy when attempting varied sentence patterns.

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