Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-30

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 several nations, even though people over 50 have vast work experience, they find it difficult to get a good occupation. This is due to employers in certain field view them less productive than younger candidates. Hence the need for these job hunter to search for an occupation that requires less physical labor.

It is widely accepted that old people are less energetic and are weaker when compared to young people. Consequently, the elderly are less favorable and competitive in the job market for a considerable amount of occupations; employers would prefer to hire younger candidates that can work longer and more efficient rather than the elderly that need more rest and are slower in terms of productivity. For instance, younger job seekers are significantly preferred over older ones in a construction company, because they can spend more time on site and carry heavier materials.

Despite being physically weaker, older job hunters have considerably more work experience than younger prospect worker. They have spent more time in the workforce, thus sharpening both their soft and hard skills. These skills, such as communication, time management, and programming, are highly beneficial and are sought after in a lot of companies. Therefore, they have a higher chance of getting hired in these companies. For instance, a senior software engineer who have more than 20 years of experience are much more efficient than a fresh graduate from a university. Therefore, companies would rather employ a senior employee than someone with less experience.

In conclusion, in some nations, it is more difficult for the elderly to find a satisfactory job because of being weaker and less productive than younger candidates. However, they can utilize their vast work experience to secure an occupation in a field that values experience more than physical capabilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes (physical perception and productivity concerns) and solutions (leveraging experience in suitable fields). The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the argument regarding physical labor is mentioned in the introduction, the second paragraph, and the conclusion. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the 'measures' part of the prompt, as you only briefly mention that they should seek jobs that value experience. Providing concrete examples of policies or societal shifts would have strengthened the response significantly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the causes from the counter-arguments and solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'for instance', and 'therefore' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the progression of ideas within the second paragraph could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be improved by a more explicit contrastive link to better highlight the shift from physical limitations to professional strengths.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'competitive', 'significantly preferred', and 'sought after'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'good occupation' (better: 'suitable employment'), 'prospect worker' (better: 'prospective employee'), and 'more efficient' (better: 'more efficiently'). The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of academic collocations would help elevate the tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues: 'employers in certain field view' (should be 'fields view') and 'a senior software engineer who have' (should be 'who has'). Additionally, there are minor errors like 'more efficient' instead of the adverbial form 'more efficiently'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and adverb usage would be beneficial.

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

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