Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-22

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 7.5)

In contemporary society, mental well being has become a central topic of discussion, leading many to believe that modern life is inherently more stressful then it was in previous eras. While some argue that our ancestors faced far harsher realities without the vocabulary to name their suffering, I believe that the unique, relentless pressures of the digital age have genuinely escalated human stress levels.

On the one hand, A compelling argument can be made that previous generations endured greater objective hardships. In the past individuals faced existential threats such as global conflicts, widespread poverty, and lethal diseases without modern medicine. Proponents of this view suggest that because psychological concepts like stress or burnout were not yet defined, people simply persevered through adversity without labeling it. From this perspective, modern complaints about stress are seen as an exaggeration, stemming from a softer lifestyle where minor inconveniences are magnified into psychological crises.

On the other hand, while our ancestors undoubtedly faced severe physical hardships, the psychological burdens of today are unprecedented. Physical adversity often had clear endpoints or tangible solutions, whereas modern psychological stress is abstract, continuous, and deeply integrated into our daily routines. The fact that past generations did not use the word stress does not mean they were immune to it, but the structural demands of the 21st century have created an environment that is uniquely hostile to mental peace.

In conclusion, although past generations faced immense struggles, the relentless connectivity and systemic pressures of contemporary life have uniquely amplified psychological strain. Therefore, current concerns about stress are justified rather then exaggerated.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on modern and historical stress levels and clearly presenting a well-developed personal position. In the introduction, the writer states their belief that the unique pressures of the digital age have genuinely escalated human stress levels. Body paragraph one effectively outlines the first view, explaining how previous generations endured severe objective hardships like global conflicts and widespread poverty without labeling psychological distress. Body paragraph two counters this by arguing that today's psychological burdens are abstract, continuous, and deeply integrated into daily routines. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant explanations throughout, demonstrating a strong grasp of the prompt's requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and progress naturally from the introduction to the body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, such as the presentation of the counter-argument in body paragraph one and the defense of the writer's view in body paragraph two. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are managed effectively to guide the reader through the argumentation. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, contributing to an overall sense of coherence and unity throughout the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic discussion on stress and society. Expressions such as 'contemporary society', 'existential threats', 'objective hardships', 'structural demands', and 'relentless connectivity' show skilful control of less common lexical items. Word choice and collocation are generally accurate, with only minor slips, such as the spelling error 'mental well being' (usually hyphenated as mental well-being) and a slight lexical confusion near the end with 'rather then' instead of 'rather than'. Overall, the vocabulary is sophisticated and enhances the communicative quality of the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The writer successfully employs subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and conditional-style reasoning (e.g., 'Proponents of this view suggest that because psychological concepts like stress or burnout were not yet defined, people simply persevered...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and control over grammar and punctuation is strong. Minor mechanical slips occur, such as a missing comma after introductory transitional phrases and a minor spelling confusion ('then' instead of 'than'), but these are isolated and do not impede communication.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.