Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-05

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 7.0)

Many people are facing difficulties during the process of finding jobs. In many countries, people who aged over 50, faced more difficulties even if they have experience to find a job. This essay will examine causes of this problem and solution to resolve this.

One major cause of this issue is age discrimination in the workplace. Some employers prefer younger candidates because they believe that younger employees are more energetic, adaptable and willing to work for lower salaries. As a result, experienced workers may be rejected simply because of their age rather than their abilities. Another contributing factor is the rapid development of technology. Many jobs now require employees to use advanced digital tools and software, and some older workers may not have had sufficient opportunities to develop these skills. For example, companies may prefer a younger applicant who is already familiar with modern software over an experienced applicant who has limited digital knowledge.

Several measures could be taken to address this problem. Firstly, governments should introduce and strictly enforce laws against age discrimination during recruitment. Employers should be encouraged to evaluate candidates based on their qualifications, skills and experience rather than their age. Secondly, companies could provide regular retraining programmes for older employees. These programmes could focus on digital skills, modern software and other technologies required in the contemporary workplace. For instance, an experienced accountant could be given training in modern accounting software, allowing them to remain competitive in the job market.

In conclusion, the difficulty faced by people over 50 in finding good employment is primarily caused by age discrimination and a lack of up-to-date skills in some cases. Governments and employers can help solve this problem by ensuring fair recruitment practices and providing older workers with opportunities to develop modern professional skills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, identifying both causes (age discrimination and technological shifts) and solutions (legal enforcement and retraining). The ideas are relevant and well-supported with clear examples, such as the mention of accountants needing software training. The position is clear throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development could be slightly more nuanced, perhaps by exploring the economic implications of an aging workforce or the societal benefits of retaining older staff, which would provide a more comprehensive analysis of the issue.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress logically from causes to solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'One major cause', 'Another contributing factor', 'Firstly', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall flow of the argument. The transition between ideas is smooth, and referencing is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'age discrimination', 'recruitment', 'contemporary workplace', and 'competitive'. While the range is adequate, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or idiomatic usage that would characterize a band 8 or 9. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning. The language is natural and fits the formal tone required for an academic essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, and the control of grammar is generally strong. However, there are minor slips, such as 'people who aged over 50' (should be 'people aged over 50' or 'people who are over 50') and 'solution to resolve this' (should be 'solutions to resolve this'). Despite these occasional errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the punctuation is used correctly throughout the text.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.