Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-28
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 modern world, evolving technology has made it easier and more convenient to live a life. Many sectors have been benefited by this including Education, Businesses and also international expos which help people to know about other people and their culture more easily.
This advancement in technology can be problematic in certain ways, like travelling to a different country is expensive because aeroplanes are an expensive medium of travel and an average person may not be able to afford that. In addition, people who consume media like television or social media also can be influenced by fake news or can get addicted to it which is not appropriate.
However, this exposure to the technology has several advantages.
Earlier ships were used for travelling across countries which used to take a long-period of time and also sometimes uncomfortable for many peoples and this is now replaces by Air travel though it is very expensive but it is the fastest medium of travel and also very easy and convenient for travellers. Also there are some countries which use trains or cars for instance, European countries are connected and can be accessed by any European without a passport or visa. Furthermore, media channels are also a great way of understanding foreign people and their culture. Television, Radios, or Social Media like YouTube and Instagram are very popular and widely used by many individuals who know the different countries and their people by TV programmes, Videos, Reels and many more things. Moreover, it brings people closer to each other and helps them explore them very fast and easily.
To conclude, Although Air Travel is expensive and social media is addictive but if used efficiently the advantages it gives clearly outweigh the disad
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of international travel and mass media. A position is presented, though it is slightly rushed at the end, cutting off in the final conclusion ('disad'). Ideas are generally relevant, mentioning cost and addiction as drawbacks, and speed, convenience, and cultural awareness as benefits. However, the development of ideas tends to be somewhat superficial and repetitive, relying on broad examples such as YouTube, Instagram, and European travel. While all parts are addressed, the lack of full development in places and the incomplete conclusion place this response firmly in Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the response into introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used, though the body paragraphs are somewhat fragmented (e.g., separating a short negative point into its own paragraph before a lengthy positive section). Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'However', 'Earlier', and 'Furthermore' are employed to guide the reader, although referencing is occasionally imprecise ('this exposure to the technology'). Moreover, the essay suffers from an abrupt, unfinished ending. Progression is visible, but the mechanical nature of some transitions and the structural flaws at the end limit the score to Band 5.5.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'convenient', 'advancement', 'addicted', and 'efficiently'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation issues, such as 'live a life' instead of 'live comfortably' or 'travel' without articles, and repetitive use of words like 'travel' and 'media'. Furthermore, there are awkward phrasings like 'explore them very fast and easily' where the pronoun reference is unclear. While communication is not severely hindered, the vocabulary remains somewhat limited and imprecise, warranting a Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures ('if used efficiently'). However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are numerous run-on sentences and punctuation errors, particularly in the third paragraph where a massive sentence links multiple clauses with 'and' ('Earlier ships were used... and also sometimes uncomfortable... and this is now replaces...'). Grammatical errors include tense inconsistencies ('is now replaces'), missing articles ('aeroplanes are an expensive medium'), and subject-verb agreement slips. Because these errors occur frequently and occasionally strain readability, the grammar is best classified at Band 5.0.
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.