Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some countries today, there is an attitude that 'anyone can do it' in the arts - music, literature, acting, art, etc. As a result, people with no talent become rich and famous and genuine talent is not valued or appreciated.

Do you agree or disagree?

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In recent years, it has become a topic of debate that 'anyone can do it' in any field where talent is required. As a consequence, non-talented people become rich and famous. Whereas; real talented people are not given the value they deserve. I strongly disagree with the statement. This essay will discuss the reasons for my viewpoint.

One prime reason for my point is hard work. You can be talented in arts, music, literature, and acting, but if you are not hardworking, you can't achieve the apex in any of these fields. Hardworking people beat those who are smarter and cleverer. There is a saying that: ' An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan'. Furthermore, you don't need a strong family background to be famous or appreciated. For example, the PM of India, Narendra Modi, used to sell tea at a tea stall, but based on his hard work and dedication, he became prime minister. For instance, the father of electricity, Tesla's life is a great inspiration for anyone. At one moment of his life, his teacher told Tesla's mother that her son can't be able to do anything in life. His mother motivated him to work hard, and now he is known as one of the biggest names in science

Another compelling reason is the interest in doing something. When you have an interest in any field, you can achieve anything in life. There is an Indian movie known as Taare Zameen Par, where a kid named Ishaan wants to be an artist, but his parents want him to study science. His teacher helped him to find his interest. He was not good at painting, but he liked to do that.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The candidate addresses the prompt by clearly stating their disagreement with the idea that 'anyone can do it' in the arts. However, the development of ideas lacks specific focus on the arts domain as requested by the prompt. While the introduction sets up a discussion about arts, music, literature, and acting, the body paragraphs wander into general concepts of hard work and interest, citing examples outside of the arts such as the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the scientist Nikola Tesla. The final paragraph mentions an Indian movie, 'Taare Zameen Par,' which is more relevant, but the essay trails off abruptly and remains incomplete. Consequently, the ideas are somewhat under-developed in relation to the specific context of the arts, leading to a band score of 5.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay has a basic structure with an introduction and body paragraphs, though the final paragraph is incomplete. Cohesion is sometimes faulty and mechanical, such as the awkward punctuation and usage in 'Whereas; real talented people are not given the value they deserve.' Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending disrupts the overall progression of ideas. Transitional phrases like 'One prime reason' and 'Furthermore' are used, but referencing and logical flow between sentences occasionally falter, especially when shifting between disparate examples like political figures and scientists. This puts the response firmly at a band 5.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student displays an adequate vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common words and phrases such as 'apex', 'dedication', and 'compelling reason'. However, there are noticeable limitations and occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'father of electricity, Tesla's life' and the repetitive use of simple descriptors. Vocabulary is generally sufficient to communicate the basic message, but the range is limited and lacks the precision expected at a higher band. Therefore, a score of 5.5 is appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. However, there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar that occasionally cause difficulty or distraction for the reader. Examples include incorrect punctuation with semi-colons ('Whereas; real'), missing articles, and awkward phrasing such as 'can't be able to do anything'. While complex structures are attempted, they are often somewhat faulty. The frequency and nature of these errors support a band score of 5.0.

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