Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-20

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)

Often, people argue whether working days are adequate in a week or should it be reduced with a longer weekend. I personally believe that the traditional working days are way too long and can be exhausting. It should be limited as it allows people to have an imrpoved social and worklife balance.

The advocates of the traditional five working days emphasis on productivity. This system was originally implemented by businesses and government to maximise their revenue. The longer the working hours increases overall output levels which are beneficial to both firms and economy. For instance, longer working hours generates a profitable revenue for the business and hourly wage given to employees also helps them earn more allowing the government to gain revenue from taxes. Such impacts makes a group of people keen on sticking to the usual working days.

However, I believe the traditional working period can get stressful for an employee and can disrupt their work life balance. The rationale behind this is that working five days a week can make individuals stressed out and miss out on spending quality time with family members. On the other hand, due to the extreme workload and tiredness people may find their jobs dull and boring making them less productive and efficient. Although, if the working days were limited to four days a week, it can possibly bring a healthy worklife balance in people's life simultaneously boosting morale in a person allowing them to be more motivated to perform their work more efficiently. This in turn can also help business in their performance and earnings.Some countries in Europe, for example, has adapted 4 working days in a week with shorter working hours, this has effectively benefitted both the business and employees.

In conclusion, while some people tend to believe the existing working period is sufficient, I personally believe a shift can be beneficial in today's generation. While it may be difficult to implement but a positive outcome can be noticed eventually in the long term.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you favour reducing the working week, and the conclusion maintains that view. You address both the case for the traditional five-day week and the benefits you expect from a shorter one. The discussion of stress, family time, motivation and productivity gives relevant support, while the example of European countries adds some illustration. This fits a response that addresses the task and extends its main ideas. To strengthen the development further, explain the example more precisely—such as what changes were made and what outcomes were observed—rather than relying on the broad claim that it “effectively benefitted” both groups. The argument about businesses’ revenue and tax income could also be linked more directly to why a longer week is preferable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall progression: an introduction states your view, the second paragraph presents the opposing case, the third develops your reasons, and the conclusion restates your position. Connectors such as “However,” “For instance,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument, and the paragraphing is appropriate. Some linking is less controlled, however. “On the other hand” does not clearly signal a contrast with the preceding point about stress, and the long sentence beginning “Although, if the working days…” combines several effects without a clean structure. The final paragraph also repeats the position rather than adding a distinct concluding insight. Use transitions that express the exact relationship between ideas and divide complex reasoning into clearer steps.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “productivity,” “overall output levels,” “quality time,” “work-life balance,” and “boosting morale.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some topic-specific language helps the response sound relevant. However, several word-choice and collocation problems limit precision: “profitable revenue” is unnatural, “hourly wage given to employees” is awkward, and “a healthy worklife balance in people's life” is not idiomatic. There are also spelling and form slips, including “imrpoved” and “emphasis” where the verb form is needed. Aim for more natural combinations and check spelling and word forms carefully; this will make your argument more fluent and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including a conditional sentence about a four-day week and clauses introduced by “which” and “allowing.” Meaning is generally clear, and some sentences are controlled, such as “This system was originally implemented by businesses and government to maximise their revenue.” Some grammatical errors remain. In “The longer the working hours increases,” the subject and verb do not agree; “longer working hours generates” has the same issue. “Some countries in Europe … has adapted” also needs plural agreement. The sentence beginning “Although, if…” is structurally awkward, and “earnings.Some” needs punctuation and spacing. Review agreement, clause construction and sentence boundaries. More consistently accurate complex sentences would show stronger control.

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