Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-11

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 has become increasingly demanding, and some people argue that employees should work fewer days and enjoy a longer weekend. I strongly agree with this view, as a shorter working week can improve both workers’ well-being and their productivity.

Firstly, reducing working hours would have significant benefits for employees’ physical and mental health. Many workers spend long hours at their workplaces, leaving them with little time for exercise, family or personal interests. This can result in stress, exhaustion and eventually burnout. A longer weekend would provide people with more opportunities to rest and recharge. For example, an employee who has three days off could spend additional time with family or participate in outdoor activities, which could improve their overall quality of life.

Secondly, a shorter working week could actually increase productivity rather than reduce it. When employees are well-rested, they are generally more focused, motivated and efficient during working hours. In contrast, tired employees may take longer to complete tasks and are more likely to make mistakes. Several companies that have experimented with four-day working weeks have reported improvements in employee satisfaction and performance.

Admittedly, some businesses may initially face difficulties, particularly those that require continuous customer service. However, this issue could be addressed by introducing flexible shifts so that services remain available without requiring every employee to work longer hours.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that a shorter working week and longer weekend would be beneficial. By improving employees’ well-being and maintaining or even increasing productivity, this change could benefit both workers and employers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt. Your position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. Each paragraph presents a relevant, well-developed argument: the first focuses on health and well-being, while the second addresses productivity. You also effectively acknowledge and counter a potential opposing view regarding business operations. The ideas are extended with logical explanations and relevant examples, such as the mention of companies experimenting with four-day weeks. The response is well-balanced and directly answers the question posed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You make effective use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In contrast', 'Admittedly', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, a counter-argument paragraph, and a conclusion. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. You use topic-specific terms such as 'well-being', 'burnout', 'recharge', and 'flexible shifts' appropriately. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it is generally standard rather than highly sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or less common academic vocabulary. However, your word choice is consistently natural, and there are no errors that impede communication or cause confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your writing displays a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences ('If an employee had...') and participial phrases. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively to convey your ideas. There are no significant grammatical errors that distract the reader or affect the clarity of your message. The accuracy is high, and the structures used are appropriate for an academic essay.

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

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