Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people regard work as the most important thing in life and have little interest in anything else. Other people are more enthusiastic about their hobbies and leisure interests than their jobs.

Discuss both these attitudes and give your own opinion.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

some people think that the most essential think of their life is their source of income and they do not pay much attention towards any other thing. on the other hand, some individuals believe that they should be pay much attention towards their hobbies and spare time activities. it is a hotly debated issue in the society. work has great importance in our life because we earn money through it, as it is our source of income to meet all our needs. i believe that people should be more serious towards their work as well as hobbies also play an important part in our lives and help to build our personalities though.

work is most important thing in some individuals lives because money has a great importance in our life. we need money to meet our daily needs and for better future, to chase our dreams. work has the most important place in their lives as they do not want to depend on others and become financially independent. work is also essential because they have families whom they have to take care of. some of them might have some dreams to achieve, which is impossible to achieve without their hard work and determination.

some people are very passionate about their hobbies and leisure interests than their jobs because those activities provide them satisfaction. those people are fond of those activities and want to spend most of their time in them. job is essential to fulfill basic needs, but they know their potential and love to spend most of their time without expecting fast consequences.

in my opinion, it is much better to invest most time on work rather than being enthusiastic for hobbies because being financially independent should be the main goal, so you can face hard times of your life with resilience.

in conclusion, there are several kinds of people having different interests. people should educate themselves and be financially independent. in addition, people who are more enthusiastic about their hobbies should be provided with resources to pursue a career.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that work is important for financial independence and that hobbies provide satisfaction, the arguments remain at a surface level. For example, the point about hobbies is underdeveloped, and the transition to your opinion could be more nuanced. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph explores the implications of these attitudes more deeply with specific examples or logical consequences, rather than repeating the idea of 'financial independence' multiple times.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'some people' and 'work is' are used frequently to start sentences, which limits the flow. Additionally, some transitions between ideas are abrupt. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' 'in contrast to this') and ensure that referencing (using pronouns or synonyms to refer back to previous ideas) is more precise to improve the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'important,' 'good,' and 'things' throughout the essay. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'fast consequences' and 'serious towards their work.' To improve, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'professional fulfillment,' 'financial stability,' or 'leisure pursuits.' Expanding your range of synonyms will help you avoid repetition and demonstrate a more flexible command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'hobbies also play an important part... though'), missing articles, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'should be pay much attention'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with many sentences lacking proper capitalization at the beginning. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic errors and practice using more complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, while ensuring they are grammatically accurate.

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

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