Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-20

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)

There has been an extensive debate regarding stress as a problem of old age or a threat to the current generation. People believe that older generations tend to have more pressure and that youngsters have an exaggerated idea of stress and have associated it with every trivial matter. I would argue that the factors contributing to stress in previous times haven't vanished but have been added to the list that makes youngsters worry.

In previous societies, people didn't have mental health awareness, so the pressure they felt wasn't recognized. Additionally, the reasons for stress were mainly extrinsic issues such as employment, financial stability, starting a family, etc. The pressure was only built after they reached adulthood. They had relying siblings, loving families, caring friends, and thoughtful neighbours. There were no scams, frauds, extremism, or violence.

However, nowadays, by the time students reach school, stress starts chasing them. They burn out while chasing excellence; peer pressure exists, and there is the dilemma of pursuing the right profession. The education systems have become more and more competitive, and the employment rate has just declined. Not only this, but sometimes they carry childhood trauma and suffer from bullying. Moreover, the country's political instability, chaos in global affairs, and climate change are impacting them in a way they never did before. There is an environment of urgent which keeps their fight and flight mode on to survive under stressful situations. They are always anxious because of the uncertainty of not just the future but the present as well.

Therefore, I don't disregard the responsibilities that older people have handled, but younger people have more on their plate. They are constantly being compared, need to meet expectations, fight pessimistic thoughts, make the right choices, and feel that time slips away.

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 a modern major problem versus the view that previous generations suffered more under hidden pressures—and clearly presents the writer's own opinion that younger people face compounded stress today. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as comparing past extrinsic pressures like employment with modern academic competitiveness, global instability, and climate change. While some points could benefit from further deep elaboration, the overall coverage meets the requirements of a Band 7 performance nicely.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression from the introductory paragraph through the body paragraphs and into the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Therefore' are used reasonably well to guide the reader through the arguments, though occasional transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme: the first body paragraph explores past societal pressures, while the second contrasts this with modern stressors. Referencing is generally clear, contributing to a coherent overall arrangement that fits the Band 7 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task, attempting less common lexical items such as 'extrinsic issues', 'political instability', and 'extravagant/exaggerated'. There are some minor lexical inaccuracies or awkward collocations, such as 'There was an environment of urgent which keeps their fight and flight mode on' (fight-or-flight response, urgency), and 'relying siblings' (reliant siblings). However, these errors do not impede communication. The vocabulary choice is generally sufficient for the task and shows some awareness of style, aligning well with a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over relative clauses and conditional structures. There are several good complex sentences, such as 'I would argue that the factors contributing to stress in previous times haven't vanished but have been added to the list that makes youngsters worry.' However, grammatical errors occasionally surface, such as 'There was an environment of urgent' (urgency) and minor preposition or article slips. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are clear. This balanced control corresponds closely to a Band 6.0 performance.

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