Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-07

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)

It is widely argued in many communities that stress is recognized as a serious issue and it is believed that people suffer more from the troubles as campared to the past. Whereas, others think they only over react about the stress. According to them, previous generations had many tasks to do, but the concept of going through mental issues like stress was unfamiliar. Although there are valid arguments on the both sides, I believe nowadays people are more mentally upset because they are living in a social media era and mostly younger generations are spending their time indoors.

First of all, mental issues are very common in some socities. This is mainly due to social media where some people show their wealth and status, which could impact on middle-class communities. For example, someone posted about their new car, so a person who could not afford that car will get upset. As a result, he will eventually lead towards depression and anxiety.

On the other hand, people who are in favor of past generations thinks that the technology was not advanced for them but they did all the challenging tasks with their own minds. For example, In past when a person had to search something about a history, they had to explore several books in order to get some information. So, it had to be quite stressful for them, which is why some people say that today's generation take stress on useless matters. In my view, younger people are preferring their own compaines which sooner or later gets lonliness. Additionally, seeing the luxrious life of some influencers, a lower income person can take stress about it by wanting the same stuff for him.

In conclusion, people suffer more comparatively to the senior generation mainly due to social media and living indoors. However, they did over reacted in the past even though they had some obstacles like dealing with daily tasks. I believe that in this contemporary world, more people are having mental disorders because of social platforms and having limited outdoor activities.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and state a clear opinion: you argue that people today face more stress, particularly because of social media and reduced outdoor activity. The examples about comparing possessions online and researching through books are relevant and help explain each perspective. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The past-generation argument is mainly illustrated through the effort of finding historical information, which does not fully explain the broader pressures people faced. Your claim that younger people spend time indoors is also introduced but receives little supporting explanation. To strengthen the response, explain more fully why earlier generations may have experienced greater pressure, and connect each example directly to the question of stress across generations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate discussion of the two views, and a conclusion. Phrases such as “First of all,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the main stages easy to identify. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes uneven: the second body paragraph moves from technology and book research to loneliness and influencers, so several related but distinct points compete for attention. Some links are also mechanical, and “Whereas” at the start of the second sentence does not connect smoothly to the preceding sentence. Organise each paragraph around one central claim, then develop it with explanation and an example; use clearer references when shifting between generations and social-media users.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “serious issue,” “middle-class communities,” “depression and anxiety,” and “limited outdoor activities.” These choices allow you to discuss the topic and express your position. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “over react about the stress,” “lead towards depression,” and “take stress on useless matters.” Spelling errors, including “campared,” “socities,” “lonliness,” and “luxrious,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural topic-specific phrasing and check spelling carefully. For example, use “exaggerate the problem,” “may develop anxiety,” and “feel stressed about seemingly minor issues” to express these ideas more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a concession in “Although there are valid arguments on the both sides” and a conditional example beginning “when a person had to search.” Meaning is generally understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “people who are in favor … thinks” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “they did over reacted” uses an incorrect verb form. Articles and sentence construction also need attention: “on the both sides” and “a person who could not afford that car will get upset” are not fully controlled in context. Review agreement, past-tense forms, and article use, and proofread longer sentences to ensure each clause is grammatically complete.

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