Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-30

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)

It is argued that employees should have a longer weekend and a shorter work period in a week. I strongly agree with this idea as it'll not only lower the maintenance costs of the offices but also improve the worker's performance.

Firstly, having less working days in a week will be beneficial for employers, as the cost of running the offices will come down significantly. Companies have to bear a lot of expenses such as electricity and transportation bills on daily basis just to operate. These expenditures ultimately affect the profits of the businesses as they increase the running costs. Having shorter working week will eventually result in more profits by lowering the fixed running costs and make the company sustainable. This will also save a lot of time that is wasted in coming to the offices on daily basis.

Another reason for agreeing with this idea is that employee's efficacy will also be improved when they have a better work life balance. For example, a surge in the performance of the Norwegian companies was observed when the government increased the number of days two days to three during a weekend. By doing this, the workers have more time to relax and spend time with their families that also improve their well being. In return, they are less stressed and can get the job done quickly.

In conclusion, having a shorter working period in a week and a longer weekend will not only make the businesses more profitable by lowering the expenses but also improve the employees efficacy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The writer explores two main ideas: lowering office maintenance costs and improving worker efficiency. These ideas are supported with relevant explanations and a specific example regarding Norwegian companies. While the points are extended well, the argument regarding office maintenance costs leans slightly towards employer benefits rather than a comprehensive societal debate, yet it remains fully relevant to the prompt. The position is clear and well-developed, satisfying the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction, followed by two body paragraphs addressing specific arguments, and a clear conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Another reason', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the text. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, aligning well with the Band 7 criteria.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The writer uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, such as 'maintenance costs', 'fixed running costs', 'work life balance', and 'well being'. Less common lexical items are attempted with adequate awareness of style, though occasional minor word choice or collocation awkwardness appears, such as 'less working days' instead of 'fewer working days' and 'increased the number of days two days to three during a weekend'. Overall, the vocabulary is adequate to convey the message clearly, matching the Band 6.5 or solid 6 descriptors, leaning comfortably into a Band 6 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and conditional structures like 'when the government increased...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('worker's performance', 'employee's efficacy', 'shorter working week'), punctuation slips, and prepositions ('days two days to three'). However, these errors are relatively minor and rarely impede communication. The majority of sentences are understandable, demonstrating control that fits the Band 6 descriptor well.

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

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