Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-15

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)

Stress is a major issue in modern and developing countries. Some people think that it is a major issue, as compared to the past and it is increasing. However, many think that the old generation had more stress but they never comprehend it. I agree with the view, that nowadays, stress is more common than in the past.

To begin with the idea that, stress is more in newly developed societies because they have a lot of responsibilities to fulfill and they face competition in cities due to which they become stressed. For instance, I know a lady, she took medicines and without medicine she could not sleep, moreover, she failed in most of her daily tasks.

On the other hand, some people think, the older generation encountered a lot of difficulties but this idea does not exist anymore because they lived in rural areas, and they spent their life with simplicity and honestly. Furthermore, they did not have much competition as in cities. And if they are from cities, they are also spending simple lives in the past. As a result, they are friendly and have no tension on their faces. For example, if someone visits villages, they have farms and large lands but they spend happy lives.

However, lives were stress-free in the past and people were spending their life without any problems and chances of mental disorders were minimized but currently, many are suffering from different kind of diseases and intake of medicines is more than in the past.

In conclusion, stress is a major cause of mental disorders now compared with the past and its exaggeration must be minimized and kept calm in all situations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You present a clear opinion that stress is more common today, and you attempt to discuss both perspectives. The modern-pressure paragraph gives relevant reasons, such as responsibilities and competition, while the later paragraph describes the view that earlier life was simpler. However, the second perspective is not fully explained: the claim that previous generations faced more pressure is mostly answered by saying they lived simply, rather than showing what pressures they experienced or why stress was not recognised. Your example about a woman taking medicine illustrates an individual case but does not strongly support the broader comparison. Develop both sides with specific, balanced reasons and make your conclusion directly resolve the contrast.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, discussion of contrasting views, and a conclusion. Paragraphing helps separate the main points, and signposts such as “To begin with,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the intended direction visible. However, progression is uneven: the paragraph beginning “However, lives were stress-free in the past” repeats the earlier claim about simple past lives instead of adding a distinct point. Some links are also mechanical or unclear, particularly “Furthermore” and “And if they are from cities,” where the relationship to the preceding idea is not fully explained. Organise each paragraph around one clear claim, then connect its explanation and example explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “competition,” “responsibilities,” “mental disorders,” and “medicines.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, which makes parts of the argument less clear. For example, “they never comprehend it” does not clearly convey that earlier generations may not have recognised stress, and “the idea of suffering from stress did not exist anymore” is confusing in context. Repetition of “stress,” “simple,” and “life” also limits variety. Aim for more precise collocations and use alternatives such as “psychological pressure,” “recognise symptoms,” and “a less demanding lifestyle” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “as,” and “if,” but control is inconsistent. Errors occur in sentence construction and punctuation, as in “To begin with the idea that, stress is more…” and “I know a lady, she took medicines,” where clauses are joined incorrectly. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and verb forms: “different kind of diseases” needs a plural form, and “people were spending their life” does not maintain accurate number and tense. These errors sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Practise building complete sentences with one main clause and correctly attached supporting clauses, and check agreement and punctuation.

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