Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-19

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 7.5)

The working week should be shorter, allowing employees to enjoy a longer weekend. I strongly agree with this view because reducing working hours can improve employees’ well-being and, in many cases, increase their productivity.

Firstly, a shorter working week can significantly improve people’s physical and mental health. Employees who work for long hours often experience stress, exhaustion and a poor work-life balance. As a result, they may have little time to spend with their families, exercise or pursue personal interests. In contrast, an additional day off would give workers more opportunities to rest and recover. This could help them return to work feeling refreshed and motivated. For example, companies that introduce a four-day working week often report that employees experience less stress while maintaining a healthy level of performance.

Secondly, reducing working hours does not necessarily mean lower productivity. In fact, well-rested employees are generally more focused and efficient during their working hours. When people know that they have sufficient time to relax at the weekend, they may be more motivated to complete their responsibilities effectively. Furthermore, employers could encourage staff to eliminate unnecessary meetings and improve time management rather than simply spending longer hours at their desks.

Admittedly, a shorter working week may not be suitable for every industry. Hospitals, restaurants and other services that require continuous staffing may need employees to work according to shifts. Nevertheless, employers in these sectors could introduce flexible schedules or additional rest days instead of reducing essential operating hours.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that a shorter working week and a longer weekend would benefit both employees and employers. Provided that businesses organise their schedules efficiently, this change could lead to healthier workers, better productivity and a more balanced society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of a shorter working week. The arguments regarding well-being and productivity are well-developed and supported with logical reasoning. The inclusion of a counter-argument regarding service industries demonstrates a balanced perspective, which is then effectively addressed. The ideas are extended and relevant throughout, meeting the requirements for a Band 8 level of task response as the position is consistently maintained and the arguments are thoroughly explored.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is skillful and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow of information is natural, and the use of referencing is precise, meeting the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic essay. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms such as 'work-life balance', 'continuous staffing', and 'flexible schedules' with natural control. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it stays within a standard range of academic English. To reach the highest band, a slightly wider range of less common, idiomatic, or sophisticated collocations could be incorporated, but the current usage is highly effective and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a strong command of grammatical structures. There is a good mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the use of conditional structures ('Provided that businesses...') and subordinate clauses ('When people know that...'). The punctuation is accurate, and the sentence construction is varied. The writing is almost entirely error-free, with a high level of control over tense and agreement. The clarity of the writing is never impeded by grammatical slips, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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

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