Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-13

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 some countries, for older people it is quite challenging to get suitable jobs, despite having work experience. The main cause of this issue is their unawareness about technology and fear of reducing opportunities for young people. This problem can be solved by learning advanced technology and not mentioning their exact age on their resume.

The causes of not giving good jobs to people over age of 50 is that they are not familiar to the modern technology and can restrict the seats for young generation. Moreover, most of the official work based on advanced technology, such as compiling data through laptops and computers, giving presentations by using projectors and online meetings which can be a hurdle for old people during their job. Furthermore, companies cannot take risk of mistakes in their work that's why they avoid hiring older people. Hiring old people over age 50 can be disadvantageous for young people, because it can increase unemployment in young generation by conserving a vacant seat. For instance, many educational departments have old people as their employees in Pakistan because of their experience, which decrease the chances of new generation employment after graduation.

The solutions for this problem are the old people can learn about modern technology and stop mentioning their exact age on their CVs. Additionally, some basic skills such as operating computers, printers and projectors can be helpful for older people to survive in this digital word, and can be helpful for getting jobs. In addition to, when they prepare their resume for jobs, they should write their age ten years old then their exact age which can increase their better job opportunities. For example, many companies hire employees by just looking on their resume, so the trick of reducing age can be helpful for older people to get good job.

In conclusion, the causes of difficulties for people over the age of 50 are lack of awareness about advanced technology and concern about young people employment, but the solution is reducing age on r

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes and solutions. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the suggestion to 'write their age ten years old then their exact age' is unethical and lacks professional credibility, which weakens the quality of the argument. While the causes (technological gap and competition with youth) are relevant, the explanation of these points is repetitive. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a clear summary of the position. To improve, ensure that solutions are practical and professional, and always complete the final paragraph to provide a sense of closure to the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'In addition to' and 'For example'. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'The causes of not giving good jobs... is that they are not familiar to the modern technology'. The abrupt ending of the essay significantly impacts the overall coherence, as the final thought is left unfinished. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a complete conclusion would significantly enhance the flow of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward collocations, such as 'restrict the seats' instead of 'limit job opportunities' and 'survive in this digital word' (likely meant 'world'). The vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'good jobs' and 'old people'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more sophisticated synonyms and collocations, such as 'technological proficiency', 'age discrimination', or 'professional development', and ensure that word choices are contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'not familiar to the modern technology' (should be 'familiar with'), 'most of the official work based on' (missing a verb, 'is based on'), and 'ten years old then their exact age' (should be 'ten years younger than'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete final sentence is a major error. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that all sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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