Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-22
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)
Nowadays, the ease of international travel and the spread of various kinds of mass media all over the global have made it more possible than ever for people to know how other people lives in other countries.Although this development has some disadvantages,I believe that the advantages overweigh them.
One major advantage is that people can gain a better understanding of different cultures and lifestyles.By traveling to other countries or watching content about them online, individuals can learn about foreign traditions , food, language and customs.This can reduce cultural misunderstanding and help people become more open minded.For example , a person who visit another country may discover that the local people have different traditions but similar values and interests.
However, their are also some disadvantages.one concern is that people may become too influenced by foreign lifestyles.They may copy the clothes, habits or behaviors they see on social medias and gradually lose interest in their own traditions.In addition,social media does not always show reality because people often share only the positive aspects of their lives.Thereofore,viewers may develop unrealistic ideas about how people live in other countries.
In conclusion, although international travel and mass media can sometimes lead to culture influence and unrealistic expectations,I believe their benefits are more greater than we expect .They help people understand each other cultures,gain valuable experiences as well as help them discover new educational and career opportunities in their future .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages, and a clear position is maintained throughout. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments provided. While the ideas regarding cultural understanding and the influence of social media are relevant, they are somewhat briefly developed. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your examples with more specific details or personal experiences to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'One major advantage', 'However', and 'In addition' are used to link ideas. However, there are some issues with punctuation and spacing, such as missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'traditions , food') and after periods (e.g., 'online, individuals'). These mechanical errors occasionally disrupt the flow of the text. Improving the consistency of your paragraphing and ensuring correct punctuation will help improve the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'cultural misunderstanding', 'unrealistic expectations', and 'foreign lifestyles'. However, there are some word choice errors, such as 'more greater' (which is redundant) and 'culture influence' (should be 'cultural influence'). Additionally, 'social medias' is incorrect as 'media' is an uncountable noun. Expanding your range of vocabulary and focusing on accurate collocations would help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use some complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'people lives' instead of 'people live', 'a person who visit' instead of 'a person who visits') and the misuse of 'their' instead of 'there'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several missing spaces after punctuation marks. These errors are noticeable but do not completely impede communication. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and punctuation errors will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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