Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01
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)
In today's world where the workload on the workers is increasing every single day.Therefore the workers should have longer weekend and working week should be shorter.This essay would discuss both the sides before I give my justification.
On the one hand working week should not be shorter and workers should not have a longer weekend as reducing down the working week can increase the more burden on the employees.Shorterning the working week can also waste a huge amount of time of the companies as the given task would be completed in delays.It can also cause loss to the companies.For instance there are 5 working days in a week and if they get reduced to 3 days in a week then the employers would be force to work for more hours on that 3 days because they are getting 4 days off, this would lead to bulking up the task for employees.
On the other hand the working week should be shorter and workers should have a longer weekend because there would be a short week then the employees would work more than their potential as they would be getting rest after their hectic working days.The employees will take all the tasks seriously and responsibly knowing they have less working days.It would also reduce the absentism of the workers as they would be getting adequate amount of leaves.For instance most of the employees delay their task on the next day knowing that have to come for thew whole week if there would be short working week then the workers would complete the given tasks on the particular day
In conclusion although,the working week should not be shorter but I completely agree hat it should be shorter because it would employees to get the mental freshness
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument, though the position is somewhat contradictory. In the introduction, you state you will discuss both sides, but the conclusion is slightly confused by stating 'although the working week should not be shorter' before immediately agreeing that it should be. The ideas are relevant, such as the potential for increased burden or improved mental freshness, but they are not fully developed. For instance, the argument about 'absentism' is mentioned but lacks a clear explanation of how a shorter week directly causes this. To improve, ensure your position is consistent throughout the essay and provide more detailed, logical explanations for your supporting points.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the opening sentence is a fragment ('In today's world where...'), and the transition 'Therefore' is used incorrectly at the start of a sentence. Some sentences are run-on or lack proper punctuation, such as 'For instance there are 5 working days...'. While there is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the frequent punctuation errors hinder the overall flow of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing, such as 'increase the more burden' and 'waste a huge amount of time'. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'absentism' (absenteeism), 'thew' (the), and 'bulking up the task'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise collocations and academic vocabulary related to the workplace, such as 'productivity', 'work-life balance', or 'operational efficiency', while ensuring correct spelling and usage.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('employers would be force'), missing articles, and incorrect sentence boundaries. For example, 'In today's world where the workload on the workers is increasing every single day' is an incomplete sentence. Additionally, punctuation is often missing or misused, which makes the text harder to read. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing verbs or incorrect tense usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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