Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-20

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)

There has always been this debate that whether science should prioritize improving human lives and then focus on other aspects like discoveries and inventions etc. In my view, I completely agree that the main focus of use case of science should be to improve lives of people because it has enabled humans to survive the so called incurable diseases of the past improving overall health and science has also contributed to technology which has also had advancements improving the daily lives of people.

From the establishment of hospitals to inventions like ventilators and vaccines , it has been the main aim of science was to improve the lives of people and rightfully so. This is because cures to polio and other diseases like cholera lead to a fall in the mortality rates helping human society to flourish as now people could live longer lives and work for longer years improving economic activity and also allowing more people to focus on scientific studies across multiple fields .

Secondly, scientific research and discoveries for human comfort has lead to latest technologies being developed. Other scientific discoveries in physics, engineering and materials science have enabled modern technologies. latest equipment which allow humans to consume knowledge and live comfortable lives which was never seen before in the human history.

Overall, in my opinion science should be used mainly for betterment of human lives as it helps the human society to live longer and more comfortable lives .Along with the fact that its the only species currently able to utilize science and use its marvels to make new inventions and discoveries.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of science prioritizing human life. The ideas are relevant, focusing on medical advancements and technological comfort. However, the development is somewhat repetitive; the argument regarding 'improving lives' is restated in different ways without significant expansion into counter-arguments or deeper analysis. While the position is consistent throughout, the supporting points lack specific, illustrative examples beyond general mentions of vaccines and ventilators. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced exploration of the topic, perhaps by briefly acknowledging the role of pure scientific discovery before refuting it or explaining the balance between the two.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from health to technology. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition 'Secondly' is used, but the connection between paragraphs could be smoother. Some sentences are slightly disjointed, such as the final sentence of the introduction, which feels like a run-on list of ideas. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences occasionally feels stilted due to the lack of varied linking words and phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. You use general terms like 'things', 'aspects', and 'latest equipment' which are somewhat vague. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'main focus of use case of science'. While you successfully use terms like 'mortality rates' and 'scientific research', the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. The spelling is accurate, and the vocabulary used does not impede communication, but it does not demonstrate a wide or flexible range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the fluency of the text. For instance, 'There has always been this debate that whether science should...' is syntactically incorrect. You also have issues with article usage and punctuation, such as the inconsistent spacing before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these minor errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with correct conjunctions and relative clauses.

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

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