Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-01

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 5.0)

In various countries across the globe, it has become difficult for the individuals who are above the age of 50 to get good jobs. There are multiple reasons for this issue but the prominent one is that, the individuals over the time are not able to think cognitively and their fitness is another reason which can hamper the work they are doing. The measures that can be taken to solve this is that, the individuals must be physically fit as well as mentally to do the work at their full efficiency.

In some scientific studies it is noticed that as one gets older, the thinking ability gets degraded and can lead to improper decisions. This is because the level of cognitive thinking gets lower, because of less physical and mental strength, which leads to the individual not getting a job. For instance a person over the age of 50 went for a job at an agricultural firm and they had to work in the field. As the person is not fit it leads to not having a good job.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response only partially addresses the task requirements and suffers from a severe word count deficit, containing only 179 words compared to the minimum requirement of 250 words. While the writer attempts to discuss causes such as cognitive decline and physical fitness, the ideas are limited, under-developed, and lack sufficient supporting evidence. The proposed measures are extremely brief and repetitive, suggesting individuals should simply stay physically and mentally fit. This tangential and minimal development restricts the depth of the discussion, as arguments are asserted without detailed explanation or robust real-world examples, keeping the response at a lower band level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text demonstrates some organisation through basic paragraphing and introduces main ideas, but there is no clear overall progression throughout the response. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes repetitive or mechanical, such as relying on standard connectors like 'For instance'. Paragraphs are disjointed and fail to build a cohesive narrative from causes to solutions. While referencing is generally understandable, the lack of sophisticated transitional language and the underdeveloped nature of the arguments impede a smooth logical flow from one point to the next, placing this criterion squarely in the middle band.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate to convey basic concepts related to employment and aging. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'cognitively', 'degraded', and 'efficiency', but these are occasionally accompanied by awkward word choice or minor collocation issues. Noticeable repetition of words like 'individuals', 'fit', and 'reason' reduces lexical variety. While communication is not entirely blocked, the restricted range and occasional inaccuracies in word choice prevent the essay from achieving a higher rating.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a limited range of sentence structures, relying heavily on basic forms while attempting some complex sentences that often become somewhat faulty. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with relative clauses, article usage, and prepositions, such as 'the individuals who are above the age of 50' and 'the measures that can be taken to solve this is that'. Punctuation and verb agreement also show persistent slips, such as comma splices ('prominent one is that, the individuals'). These errors can occasionally cause some difficulty or hesitation for the reader, but the meaning generally remains retrievable.

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