Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-14

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 the recent years, it has been noticed that the majority of people shifted their apetite on the restaurants and convenience foods. While sometimes it could be the better option to rely on these sources, but it will not align effectively with the long term goals.

To provide some context, in the hustle of daily activities, such as work and studies, people donot have enough time to prepare a healthy meal for themselves. For instance, a working professional who works 12-14 hours a day, could not be able to cook after reaching home. It is near to impossible for individuals to manage both tasks at the same time, so

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response falls significantly short of the minimum 250-word requirement, containing only 109 words and cutting off mid-sentence. Because the essay is severely incomplete, it can only address the task minimally. While the writer attempts to introduce advantages and disadvantages, such as time constraints for working professionals, the lack of development means the task is addressed only partially. In accordance with IELTS guidelines, this severe under-length failure heavily impacts the Task Achievement score, preventing the response from achieving a band score higher than 4.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

Despite the extreme brevity of the text, there is a basic attempt at logical organization. The writer introduces the topic and attempts to provide context with an example. However, due to the abrupt cutoff, paragraphing is incomplete and overall progression cannot be fully evaluated. Cohesive devices are minimal, with simple transitions like 'While sometimes it could be' and 'To provide some context'. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a conclusion and the fragmented nature of the text limit the coherence to a Band 5 level.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student demonstrates a basic but adequate vocabulary for addressing the topic. Phrases such as 'growing number of people', 'convenience foods', and 'working professional' show an appropriate lexical field. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'apetite' instead of 'appetite' and 'shifted their apetite on' instead of 'appetite for'. The range of vocabulary is limited due to the short length, but communication is not severely impeded in the sentences produced.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as concession clauses ('While sometimes it could be...'). However, there are grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including 'In the recent years' (instead of 'In recent years') and 'donot' (spelling error). Furthermore, the text breaks off mid-sentence at the end, displaying a lack of control over sentence completion. Because errors are frequent relative to the short output, the grammar reflects a Band 5 level.

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

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