Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 5.5)

The employees should have a longer break and the working days should be shorter. From my perspective, I do not agree with this statement as it might lead to negative consequences. In this essay, I will describe some of the drawbacks of longer breaks and draw a conclusion.

It is believed that working week should be shorter because it could lead to better work-life balance. One of the main positives is that a person becomes more productive and encouraged towards his work. For instance, consecutive days at work could result in work-related stress and might severely affect an individual's well-being due to which he might become frustrated and exhausted. As a result, a loner break would be beneficial for an adult so that he can feel relax. Moreover, a key factor is that it can reduce stress and increase motivation. Another important factor contributing this is that if working days become shorter, then it will lead to job satisfaction. However, employees feel less drained and more enthusiastic.

On the other hand, I think that longer weekend results in numerous drawbacks which includes laziness and less productivity. A person staying at home might face a lot of mental health problems due to increased negativity. For instance, an idol person might develop some negative habits that includes doomscrolling. As a result, sleep cycle gets affected due to excessive scrolling at night. Another disadvantage is that longer breaks cause laziness which ultimately leads to unhealthy eating habits. Eventually, an adult becomes less productive.

In conclusion, I strongly disagree with the statement that working week should be shorter. Therefore, it is beneficial to keep yourself busy in work in some other sort of activities. It will help in maintaining physical fitness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear in the introduction and conclusion: you disagree with a shorter working week. You also recognise a relevant benefit—better work-life balance and reduced stress—before presenting drawbacks such as lower productivity and unhealthy routines. However, the discussion is uneven: the benefits paragraph develops the opposing view, while your own reasons are asserted rather than convincingly explained. For example, the link between longer weekends and “a lot of mental health problems” is broad, and the doomscrolling example does not establish that a longer weekend causes this outcome. The final point about staying busy improving physical fitness is also not clearly connected to the working-week proposal. Develop fewer reasons with clearer explanations and relevant examples, and make sure each paragraph consistently supports your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable essay structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Transitions such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. The first body paragraph begins by explaining why people support shorter weeks, then shifts to “However, employees feel less drained,” without clearly showing how this supports your disagreement. Several linking phrases, including “Moreover,” “Another important factor,” and “As a result,” are used mechanically or introduce ideas whose relationship is not fully explained. The conclusion also introduces a new suggestion about other activities. Organise each paragraph around one clear claim, then connect its explanation and example directly to that claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of relevant vocabulary, including “work-life balance,” “work-related stress,” “motivation,” and “productivity,” which allows you to discuss the topic. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “doomscrolling.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, and some repetition limits precision. For example, “a loner break” appears to mean a longer break, “an idol person” is not the intended expression, and “feel relax” is not idiomatic. Phrases such as “draw a conclusion” and “some other sort of activities” are also vague or unnatural in context. Aim for precise, natural combinations and check word forms; this will make your argument clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use both simple sentences and more complex forms, including clauses with “because,” “if,” and “which,” as in “if working days become shorter, then it will lead to job satisfaction.” Meaning is generally understandable, and errors do not usually prevent the reader from following your points. Some grammatical problems remain, however. Articles are missing in “working week should be shorter,” and agreement is incorrect in “longer weekend results” and “drawbacks which includes.” The construction “due to which he might become” is awkwardly formed, while “so that he can feel relax” has an incorrect verb form. There are also some punctuation and sentence-boundary issues. Review articles, subject–verb agreement, and verb patterns, while continuing to use varied sentence structures.

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