Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-12
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 the recent decades, travelling and spreading of mass media all over the world have made it more convenient for us to know about the lifestyle of others in different countries which was difficult in the past. In my opinion, I consider that it has a lot of advantages compared to disadvantages because it is a less time consuming and great method to know different types of cultures, lifestyles, and food habits across the world.
On the one hand, in modern times, it is more easier to plan a tour because of technologies. We can visit a new country within a very short period of time by plane. Moreover, we can explore their traditional, culture and local dishes. By doing this, it is possible to know about their livelihood. Furthermore, with the help of social media like facebook, instagram and whatsapp, we can easily connect with the whole world. Nowadays it is very common to get the news of different countries through online. For example, last week I saw a reels on facebook regarding how Chinese people survive in the winter season. When I finished seeing the documentary, I realized that we can know different types of news and lifestyle of people from various countries which was very much time consuming or even impossible in the past.
On the other hand, as international travels become smooth, many crimes are occurring. Because of that smuggling of gold, animals and other things become common. In addition, social problems are arising due to easily access of mass media. This media often spread false news which leading us to big misunderstanding and quarrel with each other. Therefore, fake news also creates political issues.
In conclusion, while there are both advantages and disadvantages regarding on this topic, I believe that, the merits of this development overlook the demerits, because it has made more easier to know the people living far from us in other countries.
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 student addresses all parts of the task, presenting both advantages and disadvantages of international travel and mass media, and clearly states a position in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are generally relevant, but the development is somewhat basic. For instance, the discussion on disadvantages mentions smuggling and fake news but lacks depth and detailed examples. While the main arguments are clear, the support tends to be generalised rather than fully extended, placing the response securely in the Band 6 territory.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response has a clear overall arrangement with logical paragraphing, separating the introduction, advantages, disadvantages, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' are used to structure the text, though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used appropriately to guide the reader through the writer's arguments, aligning well with the descriptors for Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'traditional', 'livelihood', 'misunderstanding', and 'documentation'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'more easier' (an incorrect comparative form), 'spreading of mass media' instead of 'the spread of mass media', and 'seeing a reels'. Vocabulary control is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but errors in word formation and collocation prevent the score from reaching a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using relative clauses and subordinate conjunctions successfully in several places. However, frequent grammatical errors occur throughout the text, including double comparatives ('more easier'), incorrect preposition usage ('regarding on this topic'), and tense or agreement issues ('this media often spread'). While these errors do not impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the essay from achieving a Band 7.
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.