Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-29

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 recent years, the traditional five-day workweek has come under intense scrutiny, with growing calls to shorten working hours and extend the weekend. I completely agree with this proposal, as a shorter workweek not only enhances employee well-being but also significantly boosts workplace productivity.

The primary reason why a shorter working week is beneficial relates to mental health and work-life balance. Under the standard forty-hour regime, many employees suffer from chronic stress, fatigue, and burnout, leaving them with little time or energy for family life, personal hobbies, or adequate rest. Adding an extra day to the weekend provides individuals with a genuine opportunity to recharge. For instance, recent large-scale trials of a four-day workweek in countries like Iceland and the United Kingdom demonstrated that employees reported vastly reduced stress levels, better sleep quality, and a more harmonious home life without compromising their income

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response presents a clear and well-formulated position agreeing with the prompt, noting that a shorter workweek enhances both well-being and productivity. The writer introduces relevant supporting ideas regarding mental health, stress reduction, and reference to real-world trials in countries like Iceland and the United Kingdom. However, a major limitation is that the text is incomplete, reaching only 143 words out of the required 250-word minimum. Because the response is significantly under-length, the task cannot be fully developed, leading to a penalty under Task Achievement. Consequently, the score is restricted to Band 5.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

Despite the incomplete nature of the response, the text demonstrates clear organisation. The introduction establishes a distinct stance, and the subsequent paragraph flows logically from the thesis, using transitional phrases such as "The primary reason why" and "For instance" to structure the ideas effectively. Paragraphing is appropriately initiated, although the final sentence trails off and remains unfinished. Cohesive devices are used accurately and do not appear mechanical. If the text had been completed to the required length, this criterion would have scored higher. Based on the language produced, a Band 6.0 is awarded.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary deployed throughout the writing is generally appropriate and natural for an academic discussion. The student successfully integrates less common lexical items and collocations such as "intense scrutiny," "chronic stress," "genuine opportunity," and "harmonious home life." Word choice is precise, and spelling is accurate in all produced sentences. Although the range is somewhat limited due to the restricted length of the essay, the vocabulary used demonstrates a good level of control, easily meeting the expectations for Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a commendable mix of complex and simple sentence structures. The student effectively uses participial phrases and subordinate clauses, as seen in "leaving them with little time or energy" and "demonstrated that employees reported vastly reduced stress levels." Grammatical accuracy is generally high across the produced text, with error-free control over tense and agreement. Punctuation is used correctly up to the point where the text stops abruptly. The grammatical control shown is solid and merits a Band 6.5.

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

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