Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-24
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)
It is a widely accepted view that with the advancement of international travel and the widespread awareness on social media have made it more convenient for humankind to get cultural insights about different areas of the world. This essay will discuss that the advantages of this development outweighs the disadvantages.
First of all, technology has played an important part of providing convenient travel experience. Transportation has evolved in many ways. Air travel comes with different options according to the affordability of travelers. People who wants to experience a luxurious journey would go for premium class. Whereas, economy class will prove best choice for middle-class man. After traveling in a desired class, people will have the peace of mind to enjoy their destination. They are focusing on exploring the area instead of worring about their budget or comfort to travel further.
Secondly, media has played a vital role in developing interest in the people about different traditions of the world. Although, people across the world can easily access the knowledge about different traditional events through digital media, they can acknowledge different tips and tricks to visit a new place by talking to other experienced tourists. For example, if someone is interested in a particular culture of a region, they will watch vedios on social media platforms and read online articles on different websites to get in-depth knowledge about their traditional food and lifestyle. In this regard, media will prove a beneficial source.
In conclusion, easier traveling options and advance media helps to make people curious about other humans' life. If they can travel in their own way and has access to vast knowledge about a culture, it will become convenient for them to show interest about a custom.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| 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 by discussing the advantages of international travel and media. However, the task asks whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and the essay fails to address the 'disadvantages' side of the argument entirely. This is a significant omission, as the prompt requires a balanced discussion or at least an acknowledgment of the opposing view. The ideas presented are somewhat superficial; for instance, the paragraph on travel focuses on 'classes' of travel rather than the cultural exchange mentioned in the prompt. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the question are addressed and provide more depth to your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the structure. However, the internal cohesion within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between discussing air travel classes and the 'peace of mind' of the traveler is abrupt. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'cultural insights' and 'luxurious journey', but the range is somewhat limited. Some word choices are slightly unnatural or imprecise, such as 'humankind to get cultural insights' or 'advance media'. There are also minor errors in collocation, such as 'developing interest in the people'. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and varying your word choices to avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('the advantages... outweighs', 'people who wants'), incorrect verb forms ('worring', 'vedios'), and awkward phrasing ('has access to vast knowledge... it will become convenient for them to show interest about a custom'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and spelling would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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