Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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 5.5)

It is often argued that the working week should be shorter so that the employees get a long weekend for refreshment. While some people believe that longer workdays should be important for productivity , I strongly agree that a short working is beneficial for employees and its also reduce stress from work pressure.

There are several reason why i agree is that a longer weekend allows worker to take rest , recover their energy for work and it also reduce working pressure. This is because working continuous without break its lead stress and also break focus on work . For example , peoples who have three days weekend have

more time to spending with family and friends, pursue personal interest. As a result, when they return to work work place with a great refreshment and enough energy for work.

Another important point is that shorter working week can improve productivity . In addition, when employees have a better work life balance , they can give more focused on work and also enjoy the working hours. Moreover, when companies give enough free time to employees then a make strong bonding between companies and employees. As a result employees gives their best for companies and also enhance their performance .

In conclusion, I strongly agree that working week should be shorter and workers have a long weekend. I believe that reducing working hours does not necessarily decrease productivity; instead, it can encourage people to work more effectively.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The essay addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the response is slightly under the 250-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. While the main points regarding stress reduction and productivity are relevant, they are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the argument about 'bonding' between companies and employees is a good point but is not fully explored with a concrete example. To improve, ensure that each paragraph provides a more detailed explanation and a specific, illustrative example to fully support the central argument. The failure to meet the minimum word count necessitates a penalty in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'As a result' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical. There are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the phrase 'when companies give enough free time to employees then a make strong bonding', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the logical progression. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences flow more naturally into one another would help elevate the score in this area.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their opinion clearly. However, there is a lack of variety and some imprecise word choices, such as 'short working' instead of 'shorter working week' and 'great refreshment'. The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to employment, such as 'work-life balance', 'operational efficiency', or 'employee retention'. Additionally, ensure that word forms are used correctly to avoid awkward phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include 'its also reduce stress' (subject-verb agreement), 'working continuous without break its lead stress' (incorrect word form and syntax), and 'peoples who have' (pluralization error). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, correct article usage, and sentence construction will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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