Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
A growing number of people rely on restaurants and convenience food (frozen food and packaged meals) rather than home-cooked food to supply most of their meals.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating this way?
Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
in todays world , not everybody have the time to cook because of their busy schedules . Maybe that is the reason most of the folks prefer frozen food rather than cooking by themselves.
It has many benefits which mainly include it saves time as cooking by ourself takes so long . for example whenever i get late to work or i am tired after coming home from work and do not have the courage to cook i prefer to microwave the food and just eat it which saves my time and i also get some more time for myself and to rest also.
Another thing is it is more easy to store for long time rather than home cooked food . some people also prefer food from restaurants maybe they are not so good at cooking or they do not like cooking.
on the other side, some demerits include it include some kind of ingredients to make it able to store for longer time. Secondly, home-made food is made more hygienically than the food in restaurants and we can also add ingredients of our own choice.
in conclusion , it includes both advantages and disadvantages but due to people hectic schedule and preferences they used frozen food mode.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both the advantages and disadvantages of relying on convenience food. However, the ideas are underdeveloped and lack sufficient depth or specific examples beyond personal anecdotes. The response is also significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which severely limits the ability to fully develop the argument. While the position is clear, the lack of elaboration on the implications of these trends prevents a higher score. To improve, you must expand on your points with more detailed explanations and ensure you meet the minimum word count to allow for a comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the structure is quite basic. While there is some attempt at logical progression, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive (e.g., 'Another thing is', 'Secondly'). The transition between ideas is often abrupt, and the paragraphing is somewhat disjointed. To improve, you should use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through your argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally functional but limited and repetitive. You rely on simple terms like 'good', 'time', and 'food' throughout the text. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. Phrases like 'folks' are slightly informal for an IELTS essay. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'nutritional value', 'processed ingredients', or 'culinary skills', and avoid repeating the same basic words in every sentence.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('not everybody have', 'it include some kind of ingredients') and punctuation errors (spaces before commas). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors and the lack of structural variety hinder the flow of the writing. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, such as verb conjugation and sentence punctuation, will be essential for improving your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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