Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend.

Do you agree or disagree?

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

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Working has been part of human civilisation for centuries. However, it was hard to know your efficiency when there was no fixed number of days. Thus the calendar with its weeks and months was invented.

Initially, the jobs mankind did were more manual and thus required more time to get it done. During the medieval ages there was no concept of a weekend, but with the industrial revolution everything changed. The work became less consuming and people found more free time on their hands. Gradually, through labour riots a single weekend was officially introduced. Interestingly, that was the norm until Henry Ford started the idea of a second weekend. He might not have done due to the goodwill of his heart but he did recognise the positive psychologcal effects and improved efficiency due to the rest.

Sadly, a century after the Ford Motor Company introduced the second weekend no further development in this area has been done. Despite the strong evidence that loca

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response is significantly under-length at only 163 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. This severely impacts the development of ideas. While you introduce the topic and provide a historical context, you do not clearly state your position on whether the working week should be shorter, nor do you provide a balanced argument or a conclusion. The essay ends abruptly mid-sentence, meaning the task is only partially addressed. To improve, you must ensure you fully answer the prompt, provide supporting arguments for your stance, and write at least 250 words to allow for sufficient development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows some logical sequencing in the historical overview, using transition words like 'Initially' and 'Interestingly' to guide the reader. However, because the text is incomplete and lacks a clear structure (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion), the overall progression is interrupted. Paragraphing is present but the sudden termination of the text makes it difficult to assess the full coherence of the argument. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that you include a concluding paragraph that summarizes your main points and restates your position.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a reasonable range of vocabulary, such as 'civilisation', 'industrial revolution', and 'psychological effects'. There are some minor errors, such as 'psychologcal' (spelling) and 'goodwill of his heart' (which should be 'goodness of his heart'). The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the topic, but the limited length prevents you from demonstrating a wider range of academic or topic-specific terminology. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure consistent accuracy in spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is generally clear, with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor errors, such as 'He might not have done due to...' which is missing a verb (e.g., 'done it'). The sentence 'The work became less consuming' is slightly awkward in this context. While the errors do not significantly impede communication, the range of structures is limited by the brevity of the response. To improve, aim for more complex sentence patterns and ensure that all sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

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

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