Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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 7.0)

It is often argue that the working week should be shorter so that employees can enjoy a longer weekend. I agree with this opinion because a shorter week can improve workers' well-being and productivity, although it may create some difficulties for businesses.

Firstly, reducing working hours can help employees achieve a better balance between their professional and personal lives. Many people spend most of their week at work and have little time for their families, friends and hobbies. If they have a longer weekend, they can spend more quality time with their loved ones and take part in activities such as exercise, travelling or reading. As a result, workers may feel less stressed and more satisfied with their lives.

Secondly, a shorter working week could increase productivity. When employees work for long hours continuously, they can become tired and lose concentration, which may result in mistakes and lower-quality work. In contrast, workers who have enough time to rest are more likely to return to work feeling refreshed and motivated. Therefore, companies could benefit from employees who are more focused and energetic during working hours.

However , reducing the work week may cause problems for some businesses. Companies that provide services throughout the week may need to hire additional workers to maintain their normal operations. This could increase their experience. In addition, some employees may earn less money if their salaries depend on the number of hours they work.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that the working week should be shorter and the weekend should be longer. Although this change could create some financial and organisational challenges, I believe the benefits of lower stress, better work-life balance and improved productivity are more important.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas regarding well-being, productivity, and business challenges are relevant and logically extended. The essay is well-structured, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the argument. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific examples or evidence to support the claims, such as referencing a specific country or industry that has successfully implemented a four-day work week. Overall, the response is well-developed and directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas are linked effectively using cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'In contrast', and 'However'. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the benefits and the potential drawbacks is smooth. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. The flow of ideas is natural, and the structure supports the reader's understanding throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms like 'professional and personal lives', 'maintain their normal operations', and 'organisational challenges'. There is a minor error in word choice where 'experience' is used instead of 'expenditure' or 'costs' in the third paragraph, which slightly impacts precision. However, the overall range is adequate to convey ideas clearly. To improve, the student should focus on more precise collocations and avoid minor word-choice errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There is a minor grammatical error in the opening sentence ('It is often argue' should be 'It is often argued'). Punctuation is generally accurate, though there is an unnecessary space before the comma in 'However ,'. Despite these occasional slips, the majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over complex structures is good. The grammar does not impede communication, and the range of structures is sufficient for a high band score.

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