Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-26

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 6.5)

Nowadays, it is suggested that there should be a reduction in working days and more time should be provided to the labourers for relaxation. I completely agree with this view because in the present era, work-related stress is increasing and workers are not being able to maintain their work-life balance.

First and foremost, in the short weekend workers rarely find any time for family and outing because they have to spend all day doing essential household chores other than office work. Therefore, their whole weekend is spent without having adequate rest. Consequently, they become exhausted and depressed. This is the main reason behind the need for an extended weekend. For instance, in highly developing countries like China, workers got many paid holidays during the whole year in addition to weekly holidays. They give approximately 60 paid holidays to pregnant women working in the office.

Secondly, a long working week causes stress and mental exhaustion among the employees which can lead to an unbalanced life. Workers will be unable to stabilize their work and life. This can be a serious issue because it can lead to mental trauma. As a result, there will be no satisfaction for worker in the office as well as in the home. Therefore, it is very essential to provide workers a longer weekend, so that they can have free time to release stress. For example, in some countries, various companies give stress-releasing trips and benefits to their workers.

In conclusion, I subscribe to the view that there should be more time for employees in the end of the week to perform their other tasks and to relax themselves. Moreover, working days should be reduced to protect the workers from burnout and extreme physical exertion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear, well-developed position on whether the working week should be shortened. The writer takes a strong stance in agreement and supports it with relevant arguments regarding work-related stress, work-life balance, and mental health. Ideas are extended with logical reasoning, such as explaining how weekend chores prevent workers from resting properly. The example regarding China's paid maternity and weekly holidays adds some support, though it could be more directly tied to a general reduction of the working week itself. Overall, the task is successfully covered, and the position remains clear from the introduction to the conclusion, meeting the criteria for a solid Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each body paragraph opens with a distinct signposting phrase, such as 'First and foremost' and 'Secondly', followed by supporting explanations and examples. Cohesive devices are used adequately to guide the reader, although referencing is occasionally repetitive, as seen with repeated use of 'workers' and 'this can lead to'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, with a clear introduction, two distinct body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. The logical flow is maintained well from start to finish, reflecting the requirements of Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'work-life balance', 'essential household chores', 'mental exhaustion', and 'extreme physical exertion' show an awareness of topic-specific collocation. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'workers got many paid holidays' instead of 'workers receive' and 'release stress' rather than 'relieve stress' or 'reduce stress'. While the vocabulary is generally adequate and communicates the intended meaning clearly, occasional slips keep it within the Band 6.5 range, rounding to 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. Examples such as 'workers rarely find any time for family and outing because they have to spend all day doing essential household chores' show successful complex sentence formation. There are some minor grammatical errors and awkward expressions, such as 'workers are not being able to maintain' (instead of 'unable to maintain') and 'no satisfaction for worker' (missing plural). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the essay to comfortably secure a Band 6.5.

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