Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-07-31

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 7.5)

In many countries, people over the age of 50 often struggle to secure well-paid employment despite possessing considerable experience and professional expertise. This essay will discuss the main causes of this problem and suggest several effective solutions.

One of the primary causes is age discrimination in the recruitment process. Many employers assume that older workers are less adaptable to technological advancements and are therefore less productive than younger candidates. In addition, companies frequently prefer employing younger individuals because they are often willing to accept lower salaries and are expected to remain with the organisation for a longer period. Consequently, experienced professionals are overlooked despite having valuable knowledge and skills.

Several measures can be taken to address this issue. Firstly, governments should introduce and strictly enforce anti-age discrimination laws to ensure that recruitment decisions are based on merit rather than age. Secondly, employers should provide regular training programmes that enable older employees to update their technological and professional skills. Finally, organisations should recognise the value of experienced workers by creating flexible working arrangements and mentorship programmes, allowing them to share their expertise with younger employees while remaining active in the workforce.

In conclusion, age discrimination and employers’ preference for younger workers are the principal reasons why many people over 50 struggle to obtain good jobs. However, stronger legal protection, continuous professional training, and more inclusive workplace policies can effectively overcome this problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt—causes and solutions—clearly. However, the response is 231 words long, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the arguments, while logical, remain somewhat brief and lack detailed illustrative examples. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with specific scenarios or hypothetical case studies to provide more depth. Because the task is not fully developed due to the word count constraint, it falls into the Band 5.5 range for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is well-organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Consequently', and 'Firstly' effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The structure is clear and easy to follow, which is a strength. To improve further, ensure that the transition between the problem and the solution is even more seamless by using more sophisticated linking phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic essay, such as 'professional expertise', 'technological advancements', and 'recruitment process'. The language is natural and precise, and there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would push the score into the Band 8 range. Focusing on incorporating more nuanced academic collocations would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use passive voice appropriately ('are overlooked', 'can be taken') and maintain consistent control over tense and subject-verb agreement. There are virtually no grammatical errors in the text, which indicates a high level of accuracy. The range of structures is sufficient for the task, though adding a few more varied complex sentence types, such as conditional clauses or inversion, could further enhance the grammatical variety.

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