Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-16

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

It is sometimes possible to pay somebody to do things you don't want to do, or don't have time to do, for example, household chores or looking after children.

Is this a good way of providing work for others?

Should people do these things themselves?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 4.5)

Eliminating small businesses has become increasingly common in recent years. The reason behind this is because people prefer going to supermarkets for shopping instead of visiting local vendors. This essay will examine the positive aspects of this development.

One significant reason is that huge shopping malls offer variety of food options under one roof and provide convenience. The working individual favors to purchase all at one time rather than rushing to multiple stores. For example, no frills sell numerous items such as local and international products which includes produce, milk, grains, Chinese, Italian, Indian food grains and so on are available in a major store for customers convenience. Consequently, people love to visit to save their time on grocery shopping instead of spending the whole day.

Another important point is that money-saving strategy could be one factor in visiting the massive centers while small traders would not be able to offer heavy discounts. For instance, no frills usually have point-based discounts for their customers who purchase any food items from their business and in return they can redeem those earned points in cash in exchange for their next visit once they reach certain limits. This could be a reason which enables buyers to visit often for their benefits. On the other hand, micro businesses fail to approach this strategy due to limitation of bundle buying from the manufacturer.

In conclusion, Convenience is a key factor for busy schedule pupils and to learn strategies to earn and save money while shopping.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response fails to address the specific prompt provided. The writing task asks about whether paying someone to do household chores or childcare is a good way of providing work for others and whether people should do these things themselves. Instead, the student writes about the closure of small businesses and the preference for supermarkets. Because the content is completely off-topic for the prompt given, the task response is heavily compromised. In terms of idea development, the essay discusses convenience and discounts, but these points belong to a different essay prompt about supermarkets versus local vendors. Therefore, the response cannot be credited with addressing the core task of paying for domestic help or chores. A band score of 3.0 reflects this fundamental misinterpretation of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

Despite being off-topic regarding the prompt, the essay maintains a discernible structure with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is attempted, although the conclusion is incomplete and lacks a proper closing statement ("busy schedule pupils and to learn strategies"). Cohesive devices are used, such as 'One significant reason', 'For example', 'Another important point', and 'On the other hand', which give the text a basic organizational framework. However, referencing is sometimes unclear, and the mechanical flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing. Overall, the coherence meets the criteria for a band 5.0, as there is some overall organization, but the progression and logical links are hindered by grammatical and lexical faults.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with several unnatural collocations and word choices. Examples include 'working individual favors to purchase', 'food items from their business', and 'limitation of bundle buying'. The student attempts less common vocabulary such as 'consequently', 'micro businesses', and 'redeem', but these attempts are often accompanied by inaccuracies in usage or collocation. Spelling is generally acceptable, but lexical control is weak throughout, restricting the range of vocabulary to a minimally adequate level. This aligns well with the descriptors for band 5.0, where noticeable errors in word choice and limited flexibility cause some difficulty for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The essay displays a very limited range of sentence structures, and attempts at complex sentences frequently result in grammatical errors. Examples of structural and grammatical inaccuracies include 'The reason behind this is because people prefer', 'no frills sell numerous items... are available', and 'This could be a reason which enables buyers to visit often for their benefits.' Punctuation is also problematic, particularly in the run-on sentences and the broken structure of the concluding sentence. Frequent errors in verb forms, articles, and clause coordination cause difficulty for the reader and impede smooth communication at times. This performance corresponds to a band 4.0 or 4.5, and is safely placed at a band 4.5 for showing occasional control alongside persistent structural flaws.

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

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