Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-04
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
The ease of international travel and the spread of various kinds of mass media all over the world have made it more possible than ever for people to know how other people live in other countries.
Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. Write at least 250 words.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
In todays era, international traveling is very easy and with the use of different mass medias before visiting the country one can aware of the citizens of specific area they want to visit. There are several positive and negative sides of every development and it also has both sides, lets discuss about it.
Development of mass media is an advantage for frequent flyers because before exploring new city one can find everything like how is weather or what they can eat, where to visit, some famous spots and traveling facilities, people of the specific places and their behavior. Before visiting the locality one can find the weather updates and get ready according. With mass media we can explore news of every part of the world on our fingertips and find odds and evens of the globe.
On other hand there are several negative points of the mass media like with the use of internet every rumor spread so quickly without any authentication. Currently we can find about rain fall and flood situations in some states of USA, on social media it shows flooded roads and vehicles cannot pass from those roads in New Jersey where on of my friends live, so i called her immediately out of the concern but there was no flood or any water collection there.
In conclusion, before one gain faith on the news come across our eyes or ears we have to check whether it is right or wrong, because wrong news can affect us both mentally and physically, check it first and then believe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt but lacks a clear, consistent position. While you mention both sides, you do not explicitly state whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, which is a requirement for a higher band. The ideas are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the discussion on mass media focuses heavily on travel planning and misinformation, but misses broader societal implications. The conclusion provides advice rather than summarizing the main argument regarding the balance of advantages and disadvantages. To improve, ensure you take a clear stance in the introduction and maintain that perspective throughout the essay, ensuring each paragraph directly supports your central argument.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the advantages of travel planning and the disadvantages of misinformation is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often repetitive or mechanical, such as the frequent use of 'before visiting' or 'with the use of'. Paragraphing is present, but the ideas within the paragraphs lack a strong thematic link. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'conversely') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that relates back to your overall position.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. You rely on basic phrasing like 'positive and negative sides' and 'find everything'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'gain faith on the news' and 'odds and evens of the globe'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range is limited, and there is little attempt to use less common or academic vocabulary. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise synonyms and idiomatic collocations that are appropriate for an academic essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You have several grammatical errors, such as 'In todays era' (missing apostrophe), 'one can aware' (missing verb 'be'), and 'get ready according' (missing object). Punctuation is also problematic, with several run-on sentences and comma splices, particularly in the second paragraph. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that every sentence has a clear, complete structure.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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