Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Introduction

Stress is one of the major problems in the society today. It affects humans and it is one of the major causes of most cardiovascular and degenerative sickness or dieases.

In the past generations, one may attribute reduction rate in their stress to reduced population and reduction in quest for means of livelihood. This can be attributed to their long lifespan. In the present generation, alot of self-inflicted stress have exacebated the stress threshold. High rate of population, increased work demands, targets, family large number, feeding patterns, way of life, social gatherings among other factors to mention but a few contribute to increased stress to humans.

Taking a leaf from the aspect of industrial revolution that ordinarily would have reduced stress but ended up indirectly increasing it by introduction of huge pollution to the environment. Contaminated water, air and soil affected the food products from plants and when consumed leads to molecular, organ and cellular stress in the body. This obviously is the most dangerous form of the stress; which may eventually lead to disease types. Societal High demands from parents and raising of children make young parents to face special stress pattern that culminates into engaging in more strenous work and over times. Driving is also a very stressful hobby to behold in the present generation more than in the past generatulions.

Conclusion

Stress is more now than in the past generation. Government should get involved in bringing people out of stress in the society by provision of basic amenities.

Previous generations

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument, but the development is uneven. While you mention that previous generations had less stress due to lower populations and simpler livelihoods, and contrast this with modern pressures like work demands and pollution, the ideas are somewhat disjointed. The prompt asks for your own opinion, which is stated in the conclusion, but it lacks sufficient integration throughout the essay. Some points, such as the link between industrial pollution and 'molecular stress,' are tangential and not clearly connected to the core debate about societal stress levels. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a clear, well-supported argument that directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is divided into paragraphs, but the internal structure is weak. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas, making the flow feel mechanical or abrupt. For example, the transition between the discussion of the industrial revolution and the mention of parenting is sudden. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the progression of ideas within paragraphs is not always logical. To reach a higher band, use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' 'in contrast') to guide the reader through your arguments and ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'cardiovascular,' 'degenerative,' and 'exacerbated.' However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'reduction rate in their stress' and 'stressful hobby to behold.' Additionally, there are some spelling errors (e.g., 'dieases,' 'exacebated,' 'strenous,' 'generatulions') that occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on using vocabulary in more natural contexts and proofread carefully to eliminate minor spelling slips. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations will help you achieve a more precise and sophisticated tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'Stress is one of the major problems in the society today' should be 'in society'). Some sentences are fragmented or lack clarity, such as 'High rate of population... contribute to increased stress to humans.' While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors hinder the overall fluency of the writing. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement before attempting more complex structures.

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