Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

The answer for every thing, object, living being, non-living thing, outer space etc. can be found through the help of science. Science also helps in improving every aspect of life and universe. But there has been a debate going on from a long time about the most important aim of science should be to improve people's lives or not.

The debate says that science should be used in such a way that it should benefit only humans and no one else, there are some advantages and disadvantages of this,

Advantages:

1. Technological growth would increase rapidly

2. Standard of living would increase

3. Life expectancy would also get higher and many more

Disadvantages:

1. Wild life would affect the most

2. Certain group of people would hold most amount of power ( Dictatorship)

3. Resources would decrease rapidly and many more

For example: certain years ago humans discovered that whale vomit has many benefits of using it, it was used in making medicines, perfumes etc. which was a very profound discovery in the field of medical science many diseases were cured because of the whale vomit because of this whale vomit gained popularity in dark market and so humans started killing whales which eventually lead to almost extinction of whale and disrupting the bio logical chain of the sea creatures.

This are the reasons why I highly disagree with the statement that "The most important aim of science should be to improve people's lives".

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While you present a clear position, the essay structure is problematic; using bullet points for advantages and disadvantages is not appropriate for an IELTS Academic Task 2 essay, which requires formal prose. The ideas provided are somewhat superficial and lack the depth required for a higher band. The example regarding whale vomit is relevant but is presented in a way that feels like a list rather than a cohesive argument. To improve, you must expand your points into full paragraphs and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to allow for full development of your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay lacks a standard academic structure. The use of bullet points and numbered lists disrupts the flow and prevents the development of logical progression between paragraphs. While there is a basic attempt to introduce the topic and state a position, the transition between the introduction, the list of points, and the conclusion is mechanical and lacks sophisticated cohesive devices. To improve, you should use linking words and phrases (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas within and between paragraphs, and avoid using lists or bullet points entirely.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally functional but limited in range. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'many more' and 'every aspect of life'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'bio logical chain' (biological chain) and 'dark market' (black market). While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precise, academic vocabulary prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on incorporating more topic-specific collocations and academic synonyms to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'The answer for every thing... can be found through the help of science' (awkward phrasing), 'there has been a debate going on from a long time' (should be 'for a long time'), and 'This are the reasons' (should be 'These are'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the list section. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring accuracy will help raise your score.

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

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