Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

It is thought that in some countries today, most people in the humanities industry are looked down, with people believing that it is an easy path, hence, people with rich talents are easily successful, whereas those with genuine talents are not valued. In this essay, I strongly agree that many people today are underprivileged to be seen enough with the chosen career.

Successful individuals today are believed that they are valued due to the fame and wealth received, rather than pure talents gained from learning in institutions. Though some may have graduated with high degrees, others get lucky through nepotism. For instance, Korea is known for the K-Pop artists career, in which many youngsters dream of. However, this is the path where many are easily popular and appreciated due to visual appearances and family background. Regardless of how talented one is, this rather seems less important nowadays.

Additionally, genuine knowledge in this path is quite limited. Only a small fraction of people chooses to further their studies in arts, as a result, with those who are passionate in this major are seen doubtful to succeed in life. In Malaysia, people who have the passion for theatre acting are seen very low as the industry is not large, which results to people having second thoughts to their choices. In addition, Malaysian actors today are poured with fame only because of their physique and also because of their wealthy background.

In conclusion, i find that it is very unfair for those who are very passionate in this path because they do not receive the attention they deserve, mainly because of privilege being the problem. Nonetheless, people with 'no talents' are knowledgeable in their career in someway, however, i do think that people with the right background deserves to be appreciated.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You take a position in favour of the claim, especially when arguing that fame and wealth can depend on nepotism, appearance and family background. The K-pop and Malaysian theatre examples are relevant, and the conclusion returns to the issue of privilege. However, the response only partially develops the task: it does not clearly explain how people with little artistic ability become rich and famous, or how genuine talent is specifically overlooked. Some claims, such as “genuine knowledge in this path is quite limited,” are unclear and do not directly support the argument. Your position also becomes uncertain in the final sentence, where you suggest that people with “no talents” may be knowledgeable and that people with the “right background” deserve appreciation. Clarify your stance and explain each example more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The paragraphs broadly group related points, and linking expressions such as “For instance,” “Additionally” and “In conclusion” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow: the first paragraph moves from educational qualifications to nepotism and then to appearance without clearly connecting these points. Some linking phrases are also used mechanically, and references such as “this path” are vague. The conclusion introduces a qualification that conflicts with the earlier position rather than bringing the argument together. Make each paragraph develop one clear reason, use more precise references, and connect examples explicitly to your main claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt topic-related vocabulary, including “nepotism,” “genuine talents,” “passionate,” “physique” and “family background,” which gives the response some range. However, several word choices and collocations are noticeably inaccurate or unnatural, sometimes making the intended meaning hard to identify. For example, “people with rich talents are easily successful” does not express the contrast clearly, while “underprivileged to be seen enough” and “are poured with fame” are difficult to interpret. “Humanities industry” is also not a natural description of the arts sector. Aim for precise, conventional phrases and check whether each expression fits its context; for instance, distinguish between artistic talent, public recognition and financial success rather than repeating broad terms such as “path” and “people.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “Though,” “whereas” and “which,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, control is inconsistent, and faulty sentence construction and agreement sometimes make ideas difficult to follow. For example, “Successful individuals today are believed that they are valued” uses an incorrect passive pattern; “which results to people having second thoughts” has an incorrect grammatical construction; and “people with the right background deserves” has subject–verb disagreement. The opening sentence also combines several clauses in a way that obscures the relationships between them. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses, checking verb agreement, clause structure, articles and punctuation.

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