Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-28

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 the contemporary era, it has been argued that working long hours to meet professional demands and increase productivity. While, some people believe that working in smart way in week day is essential for economic growth, I vehmently believe that the working week should be shortened and employees should be given a longer weekend, as this can improve work-life balance, mental well-being and overall productivity.

The primary advantage of a shorter working week is that it can significantly improve employees physical and mental well-being. Working continuously for long hours can lead to stress, exhaustion and unable to maintain balance between professional and personal life. People can not enjoy their hobbies, do not spend quality time with their families and personal responsiblities. A longer weekend provide more opportunities for worker namely break hustle and bustle of city life, amuse their hobbies, exercise, rest and spend quality time with their loved ones. For instance, some countries such as UK and Switzerland offers workesr only work on the weekday and they also provide an additional day off to rejuvenate from work pressure. Consequently, a better work-life balance could contribute to greater job satisfaction.

Another reason is for reducing working hours is that productivity does not depend on working hours. People with good well-being concentrate more on their work; they can focus on intricate details with accuracy and efficiency. In contrast, excessive working hours can cause fatigue, which may reduce creativity and the quality of decision-making. For instance, UN reported that increased productivity when they worked four to five day on work.

In conclusion, working long hours should increase practical skills and knowledge, but working only weekday directly impact on people's well-being, mental health, reduce stress levels and increase creativity and productivity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt directly, presenting a clear position that the working week should be shortened to improve work-life balance and productivity. The writer covers both well-being and productivity aspects across the body paragraphs. Ideas are generally well supported with explanations and examples, such as the reference to the UK and Switzerland and the mention of a UN report. However, some arguments lack complete development, and the opening sentence of the essay is an incomplete fragment ('...it has been argued that working long hours to meet professional demands and increase productivity'). Despite this initial slip in task setup, the writer successfully sustains a clear argument throughout, earning a solid Band 6.5 to 7.0 representation. Given the clear position and relevant, extended ideas, it meets the standard for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a clear overall progression. It is divided into an introduction, two distinct body paragraphs focusing on well-being and productivity respectively, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'The primary advantage', 'In contrast', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and paragraph internal cohesion are occasionally faulty or mechanical. For example, the sentence 'Another reason is for reducing working hours is that...' contains a grammatical slip that disrupts the flow, and some transitional links feel slightly repetitive. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, overall placing the response comfortably within the Band 6.0 to 6.5 range. Due to the clear logical organisation despite minor mechanical issues, a score of 6.0 is appropriate.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task and attempts less common items with varying degrees of success. Words and phrases like 'contemporary era', 'work-life balance', 'rejuvenate', and 'intricate details' demonstrate a satisfactory lexical resource. However, there are notable word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'vehmently' instead of 'vehemently', 'responsiblities' instead of 'responsibilities', and awkward collocations like 'amuse their hobbies' instead of 'pursue their hobbies'. Additionally, 'workesr' exhibits a typographical error. These vocabulary errors do not impede communication, allowing the essay to achieve a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer attempts complex structures, such as concessive clauses ('While, some people believe that...') and relative clauses. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including the incomplete opening sentence, punctuation slips like the comma splice after 'While', subject-verb agreement errors ('some countries such as UK and Switzerland offers'), and preposition misuse ('workesr only work on the weekday'). While these errors are frequent enough to prevent a higher score, they rarely impede overall communication, placing the grammar at a Band 5.5 to 6.0. On balance, a Band 6.0 reflects the mix of structures alongside manageable errors.

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

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