Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-25

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 6.0)

There is considerable debate about, whether the people from previous generation suffered less from stress than now due to the absence of the term "stress", even though they experienced more pressure at that time. Although, older generation people used to do more physical work, I believe that the shifting culture of modern days workplace, and less communication with family made people suffer more from mental stress nowadays.

On the one hand, some people argue that people in midern days have become delicate and their idea of suffering from stress is nothing but exaggeration. One of the main reasons for believing this could be that our older generation were more into physical works than mental work. Most of the people were engaged in agriculture. Consequently, they maintained a routine life starting with early rising from bed, working in the fields and then coming back before dusk. However, this does not prove they did not suffer from stress as they were ignorant to the specific term.

On the other hand, the work culture has shifted drastically over the period. People are now majorly living in the cities and working in the corporate offices. These workplaces often require employees to do overtime. As a result, working people end up spending most of their time in the office. For instance, these people get to spend little to no quality time with their family members, which eventually lead them feeling more mental pressure or stress. Another possible reason is that due to the longer working hours and increased use of electronic devices as the only medium of entertainment, people are avoiding any forms of physical activity. Therefore, less physical activity ultimately puts all the pressure in their brain.

In conclusion, changes in the working structure has exposed people experiencing more mental stress than before. Both viewpoints have its own arguments, however, it cannot be denied that mental stress has grown with time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and give a clear overall opinion: you reject the claim that modern stress is merely exaggerated, arguing that workplace changes and reduced family contact have increased mental pressure. The discussion of earlier generations’ agricultural routines and the demands of modern office work is relevant. However, the two sides are not developed equally: the first view is mainly presented as an argument that people today are “delicate,” while the reasons earlier generations faced pressure are not explored in much detail. Your point about electronic devices and reduced physical activity is also asserted rather than clearly linked to stress. Develop each main reason with a fuller explanation or a specific example, and make your comparison between past and present more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. The progression from past routines to modern workplace pressures is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help orient the reader. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some of the flexibility associated with stronger cohesion. However, several links are mechanical, and some connections between claims need to be made clearer. For example, the move from electronic devices to “all the pressure in their brain” does not explain the causal relationship precisely. Use more varied transitions and ensure each sentence explicitly builds on the previous point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “considerable debate,” “corporate offices,” “overtime,” and “mental pressure.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and terms such as “work culture” and “physical activity” show an attempt to discuss the issue beyond basic vocabulary. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “physical works,” “midern days,” “majorly living,” and “puts all the pressure in their brain” reduce precision. There are also spelling errors, including “midern.” Aim for more natural combinations and precise phrasing, such as describing people as “living mainly in cities” and saying inactivity “may contribute to psychological strain.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses beginning “Although” and “which,” and most of the meaning remains clear. Some grammatical errors occur, but they rarely prevent understanding. For example, “older generation were” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “which eventually lead them feeling” needs a corrected verb pattern. In the conclusion, “changes … has exposed” and “Both viewpoints … has” also show agreement errors. The opening punctuation around “about, whether” is unnecessary, and the opening “Although” clause is not smoothly connected to the main sentence. Review agreement, verb patterns, and punctuation, then proofread complex sentences to ensure their clauses are complete and correctly joined.

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