Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-18

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)

In many countries, people spend a large part of their lives working. Some people believe that the working week should be reduced so that employees can enjoy a longer weekend. I agree with this idea because it can improve people’s well-being and may also increase their productivity.

First of all, a shorter working week can help workers maintain a better work-life balance. Many employees spend most of their time at work and have very little time for their families, friends and personal activities. With an extra day off, they could spend more quality time with their loved ones, exercise, travel or simply relax. This could reduce stress and help them feel more satisfied with their daily lives. As a result, they may return to work feeling more refreshed and motivated.

Secondly, reducing working hours does not necessarily mean lower productivity. When people work for long hours, they can become tired and lose concentration. This may lead to mistakes and poor performance. In contrast, well-rested employees are more likely to stay focused and complete their tasks efficiently. For example, if a company gives its employees a three-day weekend, they may return to work with more energy and a better attitude.

However, a shorter working week may not be suitable for every type of job. Hospitals, transport services and other essential businesses need to operate throughout the week. In such cases, companies could use flexible shifts so that employees can still have enough time to rest.

In conclusion, I believe that a shorter working week and a longer weekend can provide important benefits. Although some jobs require continuous service, flexible working arrangements can make this idea more practical.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating a position agreeing with the proposition and supporting it with logical arguments regarding well-being and productivity. The introduction clearly outlines the stance. The body paragraphs are well-developed, discussing work-life balance, fatigue, and productivity, and even acknowledging a counter-argument regarding essential services. The ideas are extended and supported effectively throughout the essay. The response easily meets the standard for Band 7.0, and elements of Band 8.0 are touched upon through the well-rounded treatment of the prompt, including the concession paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting from the introduction, moving through the benefits of work-life balance and productivity, addressing a counter-argument, and culminating in a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', 'In contrast', and 'However' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, maintaining a cohesive and logical flow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and sufficiently wide range of vocabulary for the task, incorporating less common lexical items such as 'well-being', 'productivity', 'work-life balance', 'continuous service', and 'flexible working arrangements'. Word choice is generally natural and appropriate, for instance, 'maintain a better work-life balance' and 'operate throughout the week'. While it does not consistently display the sophisticated control or rare uncommon collocations required for a Band 8, the vocabulary used is precise enough to convey the intended meaning without any impediment to communication, easily satisfying Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The student successfully employs conditional structures ('if a company gives its employees a three-day weekend...'), modal verbs ('can help', 'may lead to'), and subordinate clauses. Grammatical control is generally strong; the majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. Minor errors are practically non-existent, demonstrating a high level of accuracy that aligns well with the Band 8 descriptor for grammatical accuracy and range.

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

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