Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-01

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 stated that science should only be used in improving the public lives. I strongly contend with it, because it contributes in agriculture and prohibiting the chemical production in the developing countries.

Research and development in science leads to many greater possibilities such as in agriculture. It will help farmers to produce more quality food with better yield per acre. Producing food is not a challenge, making it more suitable for people is the main goal. For instance, seed manufacturing companies are working on a goal to produce a greater quality of seeds for a variety of vegetables and crops. Through people will have food with the variety of nutrients and tastes.

The main reason why science should only be use for common individuals is because there are many companies across the globe, which are making chemicals for different domains such as cosmetics, medicines, fertilizers e.t.c, but they are releasing chemicals into the aquatic environment and polluting the air. Apparently they are working for creating fine products and methods to earn greater profits in businesses, but their damage is more than their benefits. Its only because some of us wanted to earn unethically. For example, there are many pesticides and fertilizers companies which are polluting our environment.

In conclusion, it is argued that improving humans lives should be the most crucial goal of scientific research. I agree with this because its the one of the vital ways we can get best quality of food and this initiative will lessen the amount of chemicals released by many companies in different countries.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt, but the position is somewhat contradictory. You state you 'strongly contend' with the idea that science should improve lives, yet your supporting arguments actually support the idea that science should be used for the benefit of individuals. This confusion makes your overall stance unclear. While you provide relevant examples regarding agriculture and environmental pollution, the development of these ideas is limited. To reach a higher band, ensure your thesis is consistent throughout the essay and that your arguments directly support your stated position rather than appearing to argue against it.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Through people will have food' is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow. Additionally, the logical progression between the introduction and the body paragraphs is weak because the arguments do not clearly link back to your stated position. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'making chemicals' and 'greater possibilities'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'contend with it' (when you mean 'disagree with it') and 'common individuals'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary and precise collocations related to scientific research and environmental impact. Avoid using informal abbreviations like 'e.t.c.' in formal writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'science should only be use' (should be 'used'), 'its the one of the vital ways' (should be 'it is one of the'), and 'some of us wanted to earn' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the frequency of these grammatical slips prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage to improve your accuracy.

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

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