Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-22

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 6.0)

Nowadays, stress is considered a major problem in many societies. Some people believe that people today suffer from more stress than people in the past, while others think that this idea is exaggerated. They believe that previous generations had more pressure, but they did not talk about stress in the same way. I believe that both modern and past generations faced different types of pressure.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why people today may experience more stress. First, many people have to complete a lot of work within strict deadlines. They may have busy jobs and many personal responsibilities, which can create time pressure. Second, people often worry about making mistakes, especially at work or in education. For example, an employee may have to complete several tasks before a deadline, and this can make the person feel worried and stressed.

On the other hand, previous generations also faced serious pressure in their daily lives. One reason was that they had less technology. Many tasks had to be done manually, so they could take more time and effort. Another reason was that people often did more physical work. For example, workers in the past had to use physical effort for farming, construction and other jobs that are now partly done with machines. Therefore, their daily lives could also be difficult and tiring.

In conclusion, I believe that stress existed in both the past and the present, but its causes have changed. People today may face more mental pressure because of work, deadlines and fear of mistakes, while previous generations often faced more physical and practical difficulties. Therefore, it is difficult to say that one generation was completely more stressed than the other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. However, the development of the arguments is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention 'time pressure' and 'manual tasks', the essay would benefit from more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the two perspectives. To improve, try to expand on the 'why' behind these societal shifts rather than just listing factors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'First', 'Second', and 'In conclusion' effectively to guide the reader. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The flow is smooth, though the transition between the two body paragraphs could be slightly more sophisticated to better connect the contrasting viewpoints.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'strict deadlines', 'manual tasks', and 'mental pressure'. However, the range is somewhat limited and relies on fairly common language. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more precise, less common lexical items or collocations that demonstrate a higher level of sophistication. For example, instead of 'many people', you could use 'a significant proportion of the workforce'. The spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good command of sentence structure, using a mix of simple and complex sentences. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are very few errors that impede communication. You successfully use conditional structures and relative clauses. While the control is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited; incorporating more varied subordinate clauses or passive constructions would enhance the grammatical complexity. Overall, the writing is clear, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of ideas.

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