Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-05

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)

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.

Surely, the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages.

The only disadvantage in my opinion was, that due to the ease of international travel, people used to visit other countries but probably due to lack of knowledge or awareness of the unique cultures, traditions, religions and different flavours of the place, they didn't abide by the rules, and could somewhat end up disrespecting the people and their culture.

Whereas, due to the development and widespread of mass media nowadays, people are well aware that distinct cultures exist and before visiting the place, they can always research the dos and donts of the country or the place that they are visiting.

In the olden days, individuals who moved to the other countries for work could only meet or talk their families after months or years just because communication was difficult and travelling back and forth would require days.

But thanks to the international travel and mass media, the search for better career opportunities has been made easy. Individuals from developing countries can move to other countries for the ideal life. Families can visit their loved ones in any corner of the world. And with the help of mass media they can always keep check on their loved ones. That they are safe, and connect with them whenever they want.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

First, it is important to note that the response contains only 210 words, meaning the minimum length requirement of 250 words was not met (44 words copied from the task prompt were excluded from this count). Regarding content, the response addresses the task only partially. You present a clear position that the advantages outweighing the disadvantages, but your ideas remain limited and under-developed. For instance, you briefly mention cultural misunderstanding and family separation, but these points lack extension and robust supporting examples. To reach a higher level, you need to write more extensively, ensure you meet the word count, and fully develop your arguments with specific examples and explanations rather than relying on brief generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response shows some organisation, but there is no clear overall progression across the text. The paragraphs are extremely short and choppy, with the body paragraphs consisting of single sentences or very abrupt points. Cohesive devices are used minimally or repetitively, such as the frequent reliance on 'whereas' or 'but thanks to', making the cohesion mechanical rather than fluid. Furthermore, paragraphing is not used sufficiently and appropriately, as the ideas are broken up into isolated fragments instead of being grouped into well-developed thematic paragraphs. To improve, you should group your ideas into coherent paragraphs, ensure smooth logical transitions between sentences, and use a wider variety of cohesive devices naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your lexical resource is adequate for the task, demonstrating a minimally sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your basic points. You attempt some less common vocabulary items, such as 'unique cultures', 'flavours of the place', and 'career opportunities', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'the spread of various kinds of mass media' and 'keep check on their loved ones' instead of 'keep track of'. However, your spelling is generally accurate, and these vocabulary limitations do not seriously impede communication. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate a wider variety of precise, sophisticated vocabulary and demonstrate better control of natural collocations and idiomatic phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

Your writing displays a limited range of grammatical structures. While you attempt some complex sentences, your attempts are often faulty, such as in the sentence starting with 'The only disadvantage in my opinion was, that due to...', which contains intrusive comma usage and awkward clause coordination. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with relative clauses, prepositions, and punctuation, such as sentence fragments like 'That they are safe, and connect with them whenever they want.' These frequent errors can occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, you need to practise using a wider variety of complex sentence structures accurately and focus on eliminating basic errors in punctuation and clause structure.

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

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