Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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 6.0)

I firmly subscribe to the view that the working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend. I strongly agree with this idea because it can improve people’s health, increase productivity, and give them more time with their families.

The most persuasive argument in favor of this view that a shorter working week can help workers reduce stress and tiredness. People who work for many hours often feel exhausted and may not have enough time to relax. With a longer weekend, they can get proper rest and return to work with more energy. As a result, they may be able to concentrate better and complete their tasks more efficiently.

A further point worthy of consideration is that a longer weekend can improve family and social life. Many workers have busy schedules and cannot spend enough time with their children, friends, or relatives. An extra day off would give them more opportunities to enjoy activities together. For example, families could go on a short trip, visit relatives, or simply spend quality time at home.

Some people argue that a shorter working week could reduce a company's income. However, I believe that happier and healthier workers can be more productive. They may make fewer mistakes and work with greater motivation, which can benefit businesses in the long term.

Accordingly, I remain fully convinced that

the working week should be shorter and the weekend should be longer. It can reduce stress, improve family life, and make workers more productive.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding health, productivity, and family life are relevant and logically developed. However, the response falls just short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which necessitates a penalty. While the ideas are well-supported, the development could be slightly more extensive to ensure the essay feels fully comprehensive. To reach a higher band, ensure that you expand on your examples with more specific detail or nuance, and always verify that your word count exceeds the minimum threshold to avoid unnecessary deductions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use cohesive devices such as 'The most persuasive argument', 'A further point', and 'Accordingly' effectively to guide the reader. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow between sentences is generally smooth. To improve further, try to incorporate a wider variety of cohesive devices to link ideas within sentences more fluidly, as some transitions are currently quite standard.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'firmly subscribe', 'persuasive argument', and 'motivation' correctly. The language is natural and conveys your meaning without difficulty. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the 'less common' or more sophisticated lexical items required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic synonyms. For instance, instead of 'many hours', you could use 'prolonged working hours', and instead of 'good', you could use more descriptive adjectives to enhance your arguments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, which makes the essay easy to read. There is a minor grammatical slip in the first paragraph: 'The most persuasive argument in favor of this view that a shorter working week...' is missing a verb (e.g., 'is that'). Despite this, your control over punctuation and sentence construction is solid. To aim for a higher band, try to incorporate more varied complex structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.