Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-19

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 6.5)

People have different views about whether people now suffer from stress more than they did in the past, or whether generations in the past were under more pressure, but the idea of stress was not introduced. In my opinion, people nowadays suffer more than people in the past.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why people believe that we are suffering more from stress than we did in the past. The biggest reason is loneliness, as social media has made people less social in real life. For example, a person may have a hundred friends on Instagram, whereas they might have no friends in real life. Furthermore, influencers on social media portray themselves as rich, healthy, and wealthy. They seem to be perfect on screen. When normal people compare themselves with these personalities, they may lack confidence, which may cause stress. This explanation is the justification for why they now suffer from stress more than they did in the past.

On the other hand, people in the past suffered less from psychological problems, although they were under extreme conditions. One compelling reason is that they kept themselves busy all the time. They worked all day with a very busy schedule and slept at night. They were more disciplined and mentally tough. For example, People in the past went for the wars they fought all year, but there is no evidence of them being mentally weak. Moreover, they seemed ready for any situation when we read history. In light of all these arguments, I strongly believe that this generation is suffering more from stress.

In conclusion, while some people believe that we now suffer from stress more than we did in the past, others argue that generations in the past were under more pressure, but the idea of stress was not introduced. I firmly believe that we are struggling more because we are mentally weak. The governments of all countries must pay attention to the stress issue and make people aware of that.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that stress is higher today due to modern pressures and that previous generations faced worse conditions without recognizing stress—while presenting a clear overall position. The student's ideas are generally well developed, particularly in the second paragraph regarding social media and loneliness. However, the counter-argument regarding past generations is slightly over-generalized and relies on sweeping statements such as 'People in the past went for the wars they fought all year'. The conclusion introduces a new recommendation about governments that was not previously discussed, which slightly detracts from the cohesion of the argument. Overall, the task is answered effectively, earning a solid Band 6.5 to 7.0 range, comfortably fulfilling the criteria for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Information and ideas are distinctly grouped into paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and referencing is generally clear. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the logical progression occasionally stumbles, such as the sudden pivot to government action in the final sentence. Nevertheless, cohesion and overall coherence are well managed, justifying a Band 7.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'psychological problems', 'compelling reason', and 'portray themselves'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, for instance, 'rich, healthy, and wealthy' is somewhat repetitive, and the phrase 'went for the wars' is unnatural. However, the vocabulary is varied enough to convey precise meaning, and spelling and word formation are generally accurate throughout the response. The lexical resource aligns well with the Band 6.5 descriptor, rounding to a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, with frequent error-free sentences demonstrating good control. Complex structures are attempted successfully, such as 'The biggest reason is loneliness, as social media has made people less social in real life.' Punctuation is generally well handled. While there are a few minor errors or awkward phrasings—such as 'when we read history' or the slight redundancy in 'the idea of stress was not introduced'—these errors do not impede communication and occur infrequently. The grammatical control is strong enough to secure a Band 7.0.

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