Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-12
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)
It is often debated whether the work and hobbies are important in human life. Some individuals argue that work is very important and have some little interest in other activities, other people believe that more interest in their hobbies to compare with jobs and other activities. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own view that the most important is work in life and have little interest in other activities.
On the one hand, the numerous people believed that the work is a main role in life. This is largely because working hard can provide money for a comfortable life style, house, education etc. Due to work, they complete their dreams and support their family. Moreover, a good job can bring respect and recognition in society. For instance, if a some individuals who have not any work or job, how they will complete their dreams and hobbies.
On the other hand, it is believed that some individuals more Passionate regarding their hobbies and leisure interest than their works and jobs. This is because for they can feel relaxation, improve health and develop personality etc. Consequently, hobbies help people reduce stress after a busy day at work. To exemplify, a teacher can spend their time in physical activities such as playing physical games, walking, running etc. after teaching in school whole day.
In recapitulation, although both views have their own merits. I believe that work is the most important in life because work is build relationship and for comfortable life style is more convincing.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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. For instance, the argument that work is the most important aspect of life is supported by basic points like 'money' and 'respect', but these are not fully extended or explored in depth. The conclusion is also quite brief and lacks a summary of the main points discussed. While the task is addressed, the depth of analysis is more characteristic of a Band 5.5 or 6.0 response, as the arguments remain at a surface level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Consequently' are used to signal transitions. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'In recapitulation' to start the conclusion. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'work', 'jobs', and 'important'. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'recognition' and 'passionate', there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'have some little interest' and 'for they can feel relaxation'. These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('the work', 'a main role'), subject-verb agreement ('numerous people believed', 'work is build'), and sentence fragments ('if a some individuals who have not any work'). While the meaning remains clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the essay from reaching a higher band score.
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.