Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

In recent years, many companies have started adopting a four-day work week, giving employees a longer weekend. While reducing the standard working hours presents some operational challenges for businesses, I believe that the benefits to employee well-being and overall productivity far outweigh these minor drawbacks.

On the one hand, a shorter work week can create logistical difficulties and scheduling conflicts for companies. By closing the office for an extra day, businesses might struggle to provide continuous customer service or meet urgent client demands. For instance, international companies that require daily communication across different global time zones could experience severe delays in project delivery. Furthermore, attempting to complete the exact same amount of work in fewer days might force some employees to work longer, more stressful shifts on their scheduled days, which could temporarily increase their daily fatigue.

On the other hand, the advantages for personal health and overall efficiency are much more significant. A three-day weekend allows employees to fully rest, spend quality time with their families, and manage household responsibilities without rushing. This improved work-life balance drastically reduces the risk of mental burnout, which ultimately leads to a happier and more motivated workforce. Additionally, when employees know they have less time to finish their weekly tasks, they tend to avoid distractions and concentrate better, meaning that actual office productivity often remains the same or even increases.

In conclusion, although a four-day work week requires careful management and might disrupt traditional business operations, the positive impacts on mental health and staff efficiency are undeniable. Therefore, I firmly believe that the long-term benefits for both workers and companies completely outweigh the logistical drawbacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear and well-developed position on whether the working week should be shortened. The introduction clearly states your stance that the benefits to well-being and productivity outweigh the drawbacks. Body paragraph one logically examines the counter-argument, discussing logistical difficulties and scheduling conflicts for companies, such as meeting client demands across different time zones. Body paragraph two extends and supports your main arguments regarding personal health, quality family time, and the reduction of mental burnout. The conclusion effectively reinforces your overall position. Ideas are well-extended throughout, demonstrating a strong grasp of the requirements for Task Achievement at a high level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are structured very logically, moving smoothly from the introduction to the opposing view, followed by your supporting arguments, and finally a concise conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each body paragraph dedicated to a distinct theme. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and naturally, as seen with phrases like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally', ensuring that relationships between ideas are explicitly and clearly maintained without feeling mechanical or overused.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

Your vocabulary range is more than adequate and allows for precision and flexibility. You successfully incorporate less common and topic-specific vocabulary items with an awareness of style and collocation, such as 'operational challenges', 'logistical difficulties', 'international companies', 'mental burnout', and 'traditional business operations'. Word choices are generally accurate and natural, contributing to smooth communication of complex thoughts. Although there are no glaring lexical errors, the vocabulary occasionally stays within standard predictable boundaries for this topic rather than pushing into truly sophisticated or highly idiomatic expressions, which places it firmly in the solid band seven range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a strong command of grammatical structures, successfully utilizing a wide mix of complex sentences alongside accurate simple forms. For instance, conditional and participial constructions like 'when employees know they have less time to finish their weekly tasks, they tend to avoid distractions' show good control of subordination. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout the text. Where minor imperfections exist, they do not impede communication or obscure the intended meaning. The control over complex syntax is consistent and robust.

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