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 many countries, it can be very difficult for people over the age of 50 to get good jobs, despite their experience. This situation creates several problems, such as financial pressure on older people and loss of productivity in the workplace. However, there are effective measures such as stronger employment policies and financial assistance to people above 50, are taken to overcome it.
One of the major problems of this situation is financial problems faced by older people. This is because if a person over the age of 50 cannot find a good job, they may have to accept a lower salary. For example, an experienced professional may have to accept a lower-level position such as a clerical job, which could result in a lower salary and create financial pressure. Another serious problem is loss of productivity in the workplace. If a company replace the experienced professional with the inexperienced employee, they may achieve less effective result because younger employee may not know how to deal with the complex workplace challenges.
To solve these problems, the government should introduce policy to prevent age discrimination in recruitment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 186 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is significantly curtailed. While the essay identifies causes and suggests measures, the discussion is underdeveloped. For instance, the suggestion to 'introduce policy' is mentioned but not elaborated upon with specific examples or logical consequences. The response lacks a concluding paragraph, which is essential for a complete task response. Due to the significant under-length and the lack of depth in addressing the prompt's requirements, the response is limited in its ability to fully explore the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a basic level of organization. There is a clear introduction and body paragraphs are used to separate ideas. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the brevity of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For example' and 'Another serious problem', but the overall flow is somewhat mechanical. The lack of a conclusion further impacts the coherence of the piece, as the argument is left unresolved. Paragraphing is present but the final paragraph is extremely short, consisting of only one sentence, which disrupts the balance of the essay structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. The student uses basic terms like 'good jobs', 'financial problems', and 'effective result'. There is little attempt to use less common or idiomatic vocabulary. While the meaning is clear and communication is not impeded by word choice, the lexical range is limited. To improve, the student should incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific terminology related to employment and labor markets.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors, such as 'If a company replace the experienced professional' (subject-verb agreement) and 'financial assistance to people above 50, are taken' (faulty sentence structure). While these errors do not completely obscure the meaning, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall quality. The range of structures is limited, and the control over complex sentences is inconsistent. More attention to subject-verb agreement and sentence construction is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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