Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-07-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The position of women has changed a great deal in many societies over the past 50 years. But these societies cannot claim to have achieved gender equality

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

Student answer (Band 8.0)

The position of women has changed significantly over time, but some believe that complete gender equality has not been achieved yet. In this essay, the improvements made by governments and areas that can be improved will be discussed.

First and foremost, it can be seen that females are having greater access to education and employment compared to the past. For instance, more parents are willing to support their daughters in terms of higher education opportunities, whereas the majority of people held the stereotype that only boys needed to pursue further studies a few decades ago. This improvement of the general public's awareness in turn enables more females to be able to work in a variety of industries, such as healthcare and science. Additionally, governments have introduced laws that prevent discrimination, and that promote equal opportunities in the workplace, encouraging females to showcase their potential.

Nevertheless, it must be realized that there are still many aspects of women's welfare that are ignored, namely the gender pay gap. For example, in some developing countries, particularly in South Asia, women earn less than men for similar work, discouraging them from climbing the career ladder. In addition, females are generally underrepresented in most senior management positions. There are still a significant number of employers who assume that women cannot work as much as usual during their pregnancy and menstruation. That assumption, though, is unproven. Finally, in most families, women are still expected to take on more household responsibilities, such as domestic chores and childcare, which take up a substantial amount of time and energy from them and therefore limits their career growth and financial independence.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that gender equality has not been achieved yet despite the improvements that have been made by governments. Regarding equal payment, promotion opportunities, and the roles in households, these areas still require attention from society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that while progress has been made, true gender equality remains elusive. The essay is well-structured, with the first body paragraph focusing on improvements and the second on persistent challenges. Ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of the gender pay gap and the societal expectation of domestic chores. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced analysis rather than listing points, perhaps by exploring the cultural or economic roots of these inequalities in greater depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the discussion of progress and the discussion of remaining challenges is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices like 'Nevertheless' and 'In addition'. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas. The use of referencing is generally clear, though some cohesive links are slightly mechanical. Overall, the flow of ideas is easy to follow, and the structure supports the argument well throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms such as 'gender pay gap', 'underrepresented', 'financial independence', and 'discrimination' effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. While the range is adequate, it does not consistently reach the level of sophistication required for a higher band, as some phrasing is quite standard. However, there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a high level of accuracy, with the majority of sentences being error-free. Complex structures, such as '...which take up a substantial amount of time and energy from them and therefore limits their career growth', are used with reasonable control. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the grammar does not interfere with the clarity of the message. To improve, the student could incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as conditional clauses or passive voice constructions, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

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