Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-23

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 5.0)

It is evident that, with the development of technology and the excessive use of social media, the world has become a small place, as you can travel the whole world just on your phone's screen.

social media users nowadays tend to share more details about their personal lives than ever, such as their diates their outfits and even their daily activities, which allow other users to know in details how that person is living his or her life. Other users like to share the cultural side of their country and some others focus on sharing the natural sights or the architecture, for example : a person in australia knows how an italien citizen is living on a daily basis without the need to travel to italy which can save people a lot of money and effort.

on the other hands, it can be decieving, some people fake their lifestyles on social media or tend to show only the positive side of it, which is considered as a confusing or fake information, from a personal experience, i wanted once to visit foggia in the south west of italy, went to surf it one social media and what I've seen was the beautiful italian streets, the marvellous sunsets and the well known sights , then it hit me , the idea of asking google about it , to my surprise that city was rulled by the mafia, and has the highest record for crimes.

overall, i agree that information shared on social media can't be trusted, a thorough inquiry and research are highly recomended to avoid falling for such misleads.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of global connectivity through media and travel. However, the position is not fully developed. While you mention that the world has become a 'small place' and highlight the risks of misinformation, the essay lacks a clear, sustained argument regarding whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The conclusion is somewhat abrupt and focuses more on the need for research rather than synthesising the arguments presented. To improve, ensure each body paragraph directly links back to the central question of whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition 'on the other hands' is grammatically incorrect and used to signal a shift that is not fully supported by the preceding paragraph. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect sentences and ideas smoothly. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the logical flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'architecture', 'misleads', and 'thorough inquiry'. However, there are several spelling errors ('diates', 'italien', 'decieving', 'recomended') and some awkward phrasing, such as 'surf it one social media'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. To reach a higher score, focus on accurate spelling and using more sophisticated collocations to express your ideas more naturally.

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 readability. Issues include incorrect verb forms ('was rulled'), punctuation errors (missing commas, incorrect use of colons), and subject-verb agreement problems. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with verb tenses and sentence punctuation, to ensure your writing is more polished and professional.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.