Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-31

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)

I believe that the mass media spread around the world reporting the conditions of other countries has supposedly increased the stereotypes in people about other countries and their cultures. It is a good thing to know about other countries and their living conditions but sometimes these news channels report the most uncertain things about another country which is mostly just assumed and there are no facts or evidence to support the topic, which leads to people watching these news channels to believe in what they are seeing and considering these assumptions as facts. Nowadays, it is not just the news channel spreading fake news, it is also the public using social media and posting fake content just to get views on their videos or posts and as we know there are billions of users around the world on social medias just believing whatever they are seeing without even thinking for a second time.

There have been alot of times i have come across news that are fake and i know they are because i review them through various different sources to know the genuine thing that happened and it is frustrating when it is about the place you are living in and your friends decide to send constant posts or videos about the place which are fake or just made up.

For example: One of my friend had sent me a dozen posts about flooding of the city where i am living in and asked me if i am ok or not, but i got frustrated thinking about how people just belive anything they see on the internet and get concerned, turns out the videos and posts were 15 years old and someone who was bored just decided to create a controversial topic.

I would personally advise people not to believe in anything they see online whether its about international flights or anything else. We need to use our minds to research about what we see and verify it for ourselves.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response focuses on a relevant disadvantage: inaccurate media coverage can create stereotypes and cause people to believe false information. The example of outdated flood videos also gives this concern a personal illustration. However, the task asks whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and the essay does not develop the advantages or make a clear comparison between the two sides. The closing advice about checking online information does not establish a position on the overall balance of benefits and drawbacks. As a result, the task is addressed only partially, and the main ideas remain narrow and under-supported. To improve, explain at least one concrete benefit of learning about other countries, then weigh it against the risks and state clearly which side is stronger.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: the opening introduces concerns about media, the next paragraph gives personal experience, and the final paragraph offers advice. The flood-video example is relevant to the point about misinformation. However, the essay does not progress through a clear argument answering the comparison in the question; instead, several sentences repeat the idea that people believe false online content. Linking phrases such as “but,” “Nowadays,” and “For example” help connect local points, though the overall connections are limited and sometimes mechanical. The example is also set apart with “For example:” rather than being smoothly integrated into the paragraph. A clearer structure—benefits, disadvantages, then a reasoned judgement—would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the central concern, with relevant expressions such as “stereotypes,” “fake news,” “verify,” and “controversial topic.” These choices show some ability to discuss media and public perceptions. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repetitive or imprecise, including repeated references to “fake” posts and “what they are seeing.” Some collocations and forms are awkward, such as “mass media spread around the world reporting” and “various different sources,” while spelling errors such as “alot,” “belive,” and “social medias” are noticeable. More precise wording would help distinguish reliable reporting, misinformation, and cultural understanding. Aim to use a wider range of topic-specific terms and check spelling and natural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts longer sentences with subordinate clauses, for example, “which leads to people watching these news channels to believe…” and “when it is about the place you are living in.” These attempts communicate the general meaning, but complex sentences are often difficult to control and become overloaded with several ideas. There are also frequent errors in sentence boundaries, agreement, articles, and punctuation: “One of my friend had sent me” and “the news that are fake” show agreement problems, while the opening sentence is awkwardly constructed. Capitalisation is inconsistent, as in “i,” and the final sentence uses a comma splice between “online” and “whether.” Use shorter, more controlled sentences alongside complex ones, and proofread for agreement, sentence boundaries, and punctuation.

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