Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some countries, it can be very difficult for people over the age of 50 to get good jobs, despite their experience.

What do you think are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to solve it?

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In many countries, people over 50 find it difficult to secure good jobs regardless of their years of experience in a relevant field. This essay will discuss the causes and potential measures to solve this problem.

There are several reasons for this problem. Health is a potential reason. Most of the time, people after 50 lack the health and potential required for the job. They have years of experience, but their energy level is not equal to that of a young person below 40. For example, in cricket, the cricketer retires after 40 because they are no longer fit for playing matches despite their expertise. Similarly, every job has a certain age requirement. Their age does not allow them to do heavy jobs.

There are many jobs that need power and active people. People after 50 lose enthusiasm and patience. They can get angry quite easily, which is not good for work. Also, their health does not allow them to work hard jobs.

To overcome this situation, the elderly should be given jobs that require less physical activity. The government can take benefit from the expertise of aged people by initiating part-time jobs, in which elders can work for short time, and the job should involve less physical activity. This will benefit both the government and the senior citizens as well. It will also reduce the dependence of such people on the government, and they will be able to earn themselves.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both causes and a possible measure, and the opening clearly introduces the topic. However, the response only partially fulfils the task: the causes are mostly asserted rather than explained, and the proposed solution is narrow. For instance, you say that people over 50 may lack health, energy, enthusiasm and patience, but do not explain how these assumptions lead employers to reject experienced applicants or acknowledge that ability varies by person and job. The cricket example illustrates physical fitness in sport, but its relevance to employment generally is limited. Your solution of part-time, less physical work is relevant, yet other measures or a fuller explanation of how employers or government could implement it would strengthen the response. The response is also 9 words below the required minimum.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, discussion of causes, and a final paragraph proposing a measure. The ideas are generally easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “For example,” “Similarly,” and “To overcome this situation” help signal relationships. However, progression within the causes section is limited: the second paragraph repeats the points about health and physical demands from the first rather than developing a distinct cause. The final paragraph also moves quickly from the proposed jobs to their benefits without explaining the steps involved. Use clearer paragraph focus—for example, separate employer assumptions from physical job requirements—and connect each explanation to the central problem. This would make the organisation more purposeful and less repetitive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “secure good jobs,” “years of experience,” “expertise,” and “physical activity.” Some variation is also evident in phrases such as “overcome this situation” and “dependence … on the government.” However, the range is limited by repeated, general wording such as “job,” “people,” and “health,” and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural. For example, “work hard jobs” does not clearly describe physically demanding work, while “take benefit from” is an awkward collocation. More precise language about age discrimination, employer preferences, transferable skills, and workplace adjustments would help explain the issue more effectively. Aim to use varied terms without forcing unfamiliar expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

Your sentences are generally understandable, and you use both simple statements and some longer structures, including “This will benefit both the government and the senior citizens as well.” The opening sentence and the example introduced by “For example” are also controlled. However, the range of sentence patterns is fairly narrow, with many short statements joined by basic connectors. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as “people after 50” where “people over 50” is the more appropriate construction, and “work for short time,” which needs an article (“for a short time”). The sentence “Most of the time, people after 50 lack the health and potential required for the job” also uses a singular reference after a general plural idea. Practise varied complex sentences while checking articles and reference.

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