Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-19

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 7.5)

It is widely debated whether modern life has inherently become more stressful or if contemporary societies simply over-analyze psychological pressures that previous generations bore silently. While some argue that hyper- connectivity and economic volatility have caused an unprecedented spike in modern anxiety, others claim that our ancestors faced far harsher struggles without labeling them as "stress".

On the one hand, proponents of the view that modern stress is unparalleled point toward the relentlessness of twenty-first-century life. Due to smartphones and digital workplace tracking, individuals are rarely disconnected from their professional responsibilities, eroding the traditional boundary between work and rest. Furthermore, the modern economy demands constant adaptation to technological shifts, creating pervasive job insecurity. Coupled with the curated, anxiety- including nature of social media platforms, contemporary individuals face a unique, psychological bombardment that keeps the nervous system in a state of perpetual low-level alertness.

On the other hand, skeptics argue that today's stress level is heavily exaggerated, nothing that previous generations endured far worse physical adversities. Historically, populations regularly faced existential crises such as global conflicts, devasting famines, and deadly plagues without advanced medicine. The argument follows that ancestors working grueling fourteen-hour shifts in industrial factories or facing complete crop failure experienced profound pressure but simply lacked the clinical terminology or structural framework to define their suffering as "stress". From this perspective, modern awareness is misconstrued as an entirely new.

In my opinion, modern stress is not exaggerated; rather, its nature has fundamentally shifted from physical survival to psychological endurance. While ancestors undoubtedly faced harsher material conditions, their pressures were often acute and localized. Modern stress, by contrast, is invisible, chronic and highly psychological. Therefore, greater social awareness does not mean the issue is fabricated, but rather that we are finally recognizing a genuine mental health crisis.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly discussed both perspectives—the view that modern stress is unique and the counter-argument that it is merely a modern label for historical hardships—and provided a well-reasoned personal opinion. Your ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the impact of digital connectivity versus the physical struggles of industrial-era workers. The position is consistent and clearly articulated throughout the essay, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central focus, and you have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'By contrast'. The transition between the two opposing views and your own opinion is smooth and natural. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different stages of your argument, ensuring the reader can follow your line of reasoning without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary. Phrases like 'economic volatility', 'existential crises', 'clinical terminology', and 'psychological endurance' are used with precision and natural collocation. There are very few errors, such as 'anxiety-including' (which should be 'anxiety-inducing') and 'nothing that' (which should be 'noting that'). These are minor slips that do not impede communication. The vocabulary is well-suited to the academic tone of the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide range of complex structures, including conditional-like logic and varied sentence lengths. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is strong. There is a minor grammatical error in the final sentence of the third paragraph ('an entirely new'), where a noun is missing, and a slight slip in 'nothing that' instead of 'noting that'. However, these are rare and do not detract from the overall high level of grammatical control.

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