Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-25

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Using a cell phone while driving is dangerous because it causes the driver to become distracted. Therefore, cell phone use by drivers should be made illegal.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In recent years, it has been a common trend to spend holidays away from home. Some individuals choose hotels during their stay, whereas others believe that renting a private holiday home is a better choice. In my opinion, hotels are a better place to spend leisure time because of the help offered at every step during the stay.

Starting with the former view, all facilities are to be provided by the recruited staff of the hotel. Cleaning and laundry service is included in our stay. Breakfast with diverse food options are available from early morning. In addition to it, reception services are available to assist us if any issue persists during our stay. For example, during summer, if the air conditioner is not working effectively, the problem can be addressed immediately by the hotel management. Therefore, no time and effort are wasted in preparing it. As a result, holidays are enjoyed more comfortably, and saving a considerable amount of time.

Considering the latter view, private holiday homes provide more privacy and give the comfort of a home. To elaborate, corridors and dining halls are not to be shared at these places as in hotels. One can cook their meals according to their own preference. Additionally, there are no check-in and check-out times. Renting these spots helps people to enjoy open air places such as yards or gardens. For instance, one can make use of full house according to their own choice. They can plan late night gatherings also. Consequently, renting private homes gives the opportunity to enjoy holidays to the fullest without the interference of other people.

From my perspective, hotels are the best place for spending vacation time. If some problem arise, then the staff is always ready to provide a helping hand. Whereas, in private holiday homes, if there is a technological problem in household appliances, it will take a considerable amount of time to repair it or to resolve the issue.

To encapsulate, it is the responsibility of the hotel management to make our stay comfortable. On the other hand, renting residential spots can protect us from homesickness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for an argument regarding the legality of cell phone use while driving, but the essay discusses the merits of hotels versus private holiday homes. As the response fails to address the task question entirely, it cannot be assessed for task achievement in the context of the prompt provided. In an actual examination, this would be treated as a memorized or irrelevant response, resulting in a very low score for Task Achievement as the requirements of the prompt were not met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

Despite being off-topic, the essay itself is structured logically. It uses clear paragraphing, with an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Starting with the former view', 'In addition to it', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to link ideas. The progression of arguments is clear, and the internal logic of the essay is sound, even though the content does not relate to the assigned task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for an IELTS essay. The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic of travel and accommodation, using terms like 'recruited staff', 'diverse food options', and 'interference'. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. While the range is not particularly sophisticated or 'uncommon', it is adequate for the level of discussion presented.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'Breakfast with diverse food options are available' (subject-verb agreement) and 'If some problem arise' (should be 'arises'). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not cause difficulty for the reader. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence control is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly throughout the text.

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

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