Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-03
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)
In many developed countries, it is argued that weekends should be extended for the workers. Consequently, working days should be reduced. I strongly disagree with this view. From my perspective, the drawbacks of having extended holidays outweigh the benefits. This essay will explain a few reasons to clarify my opinion.
Some proponents believe that shorter working week will be beneficial for society. There are some benefits of it. It will help employees to rejuvenate during long weekends. Employees will have to work only a few days of the week, on remaining days they spend time with their family which enhance the bond between families. For instance, if working days become limited and workers get more holidays, they will be able to give more time to their children and families. It will prove beneficial for the growth of their children and to build strong connections with their families which is not possible to build during a hectic routine.
However, there are more disadvantages of having extended weekends. It will increase the stress level of employers during weekdays because they will have to complete their tasks in limited time, which will rise the load on workers. Subsequently, due to more stress and workload the mental health of employees will be affected and companies will suffer with financial crisis due to limited working hours. For instance, when working days reduce, administration will stress the employees to complete their tasks in limited time. For that they will have to work late night and do overtime during working days to finish their assignments. Consequently, they will be sick to due to continue work under pressure which can be detrimental for the companies as well as employees.
In conclusion, while there are a few benefits of having longer weekends, the disadvantages of having health issues are serious. Hence I strongly believe that there shouldn't be shorter weekends. The current system is better and well balanced for both the organization and the workers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The essay addresses the prompt clearly and maintains a consistent position throughout. The arguments are relevant, with the student providing a balanced view by discussing both the potential benefits for family life and the potential drawbacks regarding workplace stress and productivity. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the point about 'limited time' and 'workload' is restated multiple times in the third paragraph without adding new depth. To reach a higher band, the student should aim to provide more nuanced examples or explore the economic implications of a shorter working week in greater detail, rather than focusing primarily on the stress aspect.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the opposing viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'Consequently', 'However', and 'For instance' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, although the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to avoid a 'list-like' feel. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the central topic of each paragraph is well-maintained.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'proponents', 'rejuvenate', and 'detrimental'. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'suffer with financial crisis' (should be 'suffer from') and 'sick to due to continue work' (grammatically incorrect and imprecise). While the range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, the lack of precision and occasional errors in word formation prevent the essay from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'shorter working week will be' (missing article), 'which enhance the bond' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'they will be sick to due to continue work' (clunky and inaccurate phrasing). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the control over complex structures is inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed without errors that impede clarity.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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