Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-13

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)

The various kinds of mass media and simpler terms of international travel has made easy for us to know other other peoples country. Basically we can learn their culture and tradition more smoothly. People can know how other people lives.

The mass media shape our world view like none other. It delves deep into our psyche, could shift our views. The mass media has reached many people by the internet exposer. Nowadays internet has been used by most of the people in the globe. And media simply opened their websites on the internet which can be easily accessed by regular people. Moreover there are social media like Facebook, X , Snapchat , Instagram , VK used by millions of people. People share their lifestyle and everyday doings on social media which is a important source of knowledge how other people lives in other countries. And countries offer their visa to tourists after a normal check up. Pretty easily people get visa to visit other countries because countries earn a lot of money by giving tourists visa. And they can have good knowledge and socialize with other countries people.

Because the mass media has made is simple to know about other peoples the loss of local culture has been huge. And the media tend to show luxarious life of people in other countries which can be fastrating for some people. And because lot of people visit the enviroment gets harmed.

So it can be said that having huge advantages of people knowing other peoples countries it has some downsides.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of international travel and mass media. However, the development of these ideas is limited. While you mention social media and tourism as advantages, the points regarding disadvantages—such as the loss of local culture and environmental harm—are mentioned briefly without sufficient explanation or supporting evidence. To achieve a higher band, you need to expand on your points with specific examples or logical reasoning to fully develop your argument. The position is clear, but the overall depth of the discussion is insufficient to move beyond a mid-range score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive. For example, the frequent use of 'And' to start sentences disrupts the flow of the argument. Transitions between ideas are sometimes abrupt, such as the sudden shift from social media to visa processes in the second paragraph. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to connect your sentences and paragraphs more naturally and logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'internet exposer' (exposure), 'everyday doings' (daily activities), and 'luxarious' (luxurious). Additionally, the repetition of basic words like 'people' and 'countries' limits the sophistication of your writing. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to globalization, cultural exchange, and the impact of media, and ensure you check the spelling of common academic terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'mass media... has made'), missing articles, and incorrect word forms (e.g., 'fastrating' instead of 'frustrating'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around punctuation marks. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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