Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The most important aim of science should be to improve people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is often argued that the most effective purpose of science should be used to enhance people's lives. While some people may disagree with this notion, I completely agree because this can improve career opportunities and enhance overall well-being. This essay will explain the reasons behind my opinion.

To begin with, one notable reason for my agreement is that science can provide lifelong better career opportunities for citizens. This is because newly graduated persons can now work remotely from any part of the world. It means that students also get benefits by finding online jobs and strengthening their personal and professional lives. To take an example of China, where individuals can work online in different companies to ensure convenient life in the long run. Therefore, it is understandable why many people hold this opinion.

Another significant reason why I agree with this perspective is that science also provides long-term sustainable development. As a growing number of individuals use public transport and other services have happened because of science. This can lead to better and accessible life. For instance, a report was published in New York Times that artificial intelligence and technological advancements have evolved as the result of science. Thus, I remained convinced that this viewpoint is more beneficial in a long way.

In conclusion,I firmly believe that science has brought various benefits for mankind and it must be used only for good purposes. This is based on the fact that it guarantees better career opportunities and proves beneficial for overall well-being. Hence, this approach is likely to bring greater long-term benefits.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position and providing two main supporting arguments: career opportunities and sustainable development. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the link between science and 'remote work' is a bit tenuous and lacks a deep explanation of how science specifically facilitates this beyond general technology. The example regarding China is vague, and the reference to a 'New York Times' report is generic rather than specific. To reach a higher band, you should provide more detailed analysis and concrete evidence that directly connects scientific advancement to the improvement of human lives, rather than relying on broad, slightly disconnected examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Another significant reason', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the flow within paragraphs could be smoother. For instance, the transition from the mention of public transport to AI in the second body paragraph is abrupt. Improving the use of referencing and ensuring that sentences within a paragraph are more tightly linked would enhance the overall flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'sustainable development' and 'technological advancements'. However, there is a reliance on somewhat repetitive or simplistic phrasing, such as 'improve people's lives' and 'better career opportunities'. There are also minor issues with collocation, such as 'ensure convenient life' (should be 'ensure a convenient life' or 'a better quality of life'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and varied collocations to convey your arguments with greater sophistication and nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the most effective purpose of science should be used' is awkward phrasing; 'science' is the subject, not the purpose. Additionally, there are issues with article usage ('a convenient life') and subject-verb agreement ('other services have happened'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and refining complex sentence structures will help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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