Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-24

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)

For people's lives, few things are more crucial than science. In many developed and developing countries, a substantial amount of money is allocated to science, as it often necessitates the use of various resources, such as computers, software, and so on. Nowadays, many would agree that contemporary society has nearly transcended its traditional boundaries and will soon become boundless in its pursuit of science for the benefit of people's lives. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that people's lives should be improved through science.

Naturally, science in the form of development is considered essential for people's lives, creating inexhaustible opportunity for living standards that are not available from other sources. Moreover, it demonstrates unparalleled benefits for people's lives, permeating and enhancing every conceivable sector of society. Since people seek development and fulfillment through science, ample investment in science is imperative to elevate modern living standards. If this is adopted by government and individuals alike, many people stand to benefit significantly. Science in nations such as China and Japan, for instance, has emerged as a pivotal model for development, delivering enhanced services for their people.

Under certain circumstances, people may shy away from science due to a range of challenges, such as mental and physical health crises, financial constraints, adverse environmental conditions, technological barriers, resource limitations, fear of failure, and lack of support. While science is widely embraced in many major cities worldwide, people in impoverished and developing nations frequently contend with profound financial limitations and deteriorating conditions when striving to implement this approach. Therefore, the notion of science is not always appealing. From economic, social, and national perspectives, if the goals of people dictate that science is not merely an option but an imperative, they may choose to embrace it.

In conclusion, it is the responsibility of people to evaluate the role of science and determine whether it will do more harm than good. Thus, it is evident that fostering an interest in science is beneficial.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear stance ('I firmly believe that people's lives should be improved through science') and discussing the role of science in enhancing living standards. However, the development of ideas leans heavily on repetitive phrasing and broad generalizations rather than deep analysis or specific, well-supported arguments. While the essay touches on economic and social factors in the third body paragraph, some of the reasoning remains vague, such as 'people in impoverished and developing nations frequently contend with profound financial limitations'. The position is maintained throughout, but the depth of idea extension aligns best with a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 descriptor, as some arguments are under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Naturally', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore', but their usage can sometimes feel mechanical or slightly disconnected from the flow of ideas. Paragraphing is used sufficiently, yet referencing and logical progression between the second and third body paragraphs lack seamless integration. The transition into the conclusion is abrupt and merely summarizes in a superficial manner. Overall, the structural organization is adequate for a Band 6.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student attempts a range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic context, utilizing phrases like 'substantial amount of money', 'contemporary society', 'inexhaustible opportunity', and 'pivotal model'. However, there are noticeable issues with collocation and unnatural phrasing, such as 'science in the form of development' and 'the notion of science is not always appealing', which suggest word choices are occasionally strained or imprecise. While the vocabulary is generally adequate to convey meaning, frequent reliance on repetitive nouns like 'science' and 'people's lives' limits flexibility. This fits the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and conditional structures such as 'If this is adopted by government and individuals alike...'. There is good control over punctuation, and basic grammar rules are generally respected. However, several awkward structures and minor errors persist, such as 'For people's lives, few things are more crucial than science' and issues with article usage. Complex sentence attempts occasionally contain awkward phrasing rather than systematic errors that impede communication. The control of grammar aligns with a Band 6 score.

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