Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In some societies, stress is now regarded as a major problem, and it is thought that people suffer from more stress than they did in the past. However, others feel that the amount of stress people have today is exaggerated. They say that previous generations were under more pressure, but the idea of suffering from stress did not exist.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Stress is a common word in everybody's life. Some communities believe that currently, people are suffering from more stress compared to earlier days while some other communities argue with this matter and say that, In past days, people were very stressed compared to now but they didn't recognize their stress. In this essay, I will discuss both scenarios and then I will give my opinion on this matter.
On the one side, Presently, In this modern era, people are getting stressed more due to various reasons. People feel stress when they feel pressure on their bodies. Mental pressure leads to more stress compared to physical work pressure. Nowadays, almost every person in this world is facing mental pressures which are leading to stress problems. Due to advancements in technologies, traffic problems, etc people are feeling stressed. For example, A person, who is working in a software company needs to work more than 10 hours per day in front of a computer system and he/she should wait in traffic to reach his/her home/office. Another good example is, due to pollution also people are facing stress.
On the other side, Earlier, people used to do more physical work. By doing physical work their body will feel stress but they will be recovered by getting some rest and taking healthy food. In earlier times, Food is fresh and there are no fertilizers. For instance, Earlier, mostly every person is a farmer, they will go physical work more and eat healthy food and then they will some sleep to overcome that stress.
To sum up, In my view I agree with the former statement that compared to earlier days, people are feeling more stress in this modern era. This stress can be overcome by eating healthy food, doing regular exercises, etc.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that modern life causes stress due to technology and traffic, the explanation remains superficial. Similarly, the comparison to the past is restricted to farming and physical labor, failing to explore other historical pressures. To improve, you should provide more nuanced examples and deeper analysis of why these stressors differ. The conclusion is brief and could be better integrated with the main body arguments to provide a more comprehensive summary of your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive. For example, the frequent use of 'Earlier' and 'In this modern era' at the start of sentences creates a somewhat stilted flow. Additionally, some transitions between sentences are abrupt, such as the jump from traffic problems to pollution. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother and more logically connected.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'stressed' and 'problems' repeatedly. There are also some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'argue with this matter' (should be 'argue this point') and 'they will be recovered' (should be 'they would recover'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and topic-specific collocations related to psychology, sociology, or lifestyle to demonstrate a more flexible command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Issues include inconsistent verb tenses (e.g., 'In earlier times, Food is fresh'), subject-verb agreement errors ('every person is a farmer'), and incorrect capitalization (e.g., 'Presently, In this modern era'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency of the writing. Focusing on tense consistency and basic sentence structure accuracy will help improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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