Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-27

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)

There is considerable debate surrounding whether work is the most significant part of life, while some people argue that many individuals are least interested in other activities, while others believe that their hobbies and leisure is more important than their jobs. This essay will examine both perspectives before explaining why I believe that people's work-life balance is also significant.

Those who support that job is the only thing in their plate argue that working honestly and long hours may get them whatever they or their family needs. This is the mainly because if their is single person working and earning to lift their family from poverty and satisfy their each and every needs. As a result the person gets indulged in his job and gets away from activities, he is interested in. Therefore, it is understandable why many people consider this approach to be beneficial.

In contrast other believe that the most significant thing in their life is enjoying their hobbies and getting a leisure life because they do not hold all the financial burden of their family alone, there are members in the family who helps them run their house. They argue that their hobbies and things they love to do are more important and should be enjoyed whenever wanted. Which ultimately make their working life and personal life balanced. In my opinion, although the opposing argument has some validity, I believe that it is better to enjoy our life and maintain work-life balanced.

In conclusion, both sides of this debate have their own merits. Nevertheless, I believe that everybody should arrange a time to enjoy their hobbies in a week or two, as it provides greater benefits in terms of increase productivity in work as well as in life and is more likely to create positive long-term outcomes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both attitudes and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, though some development is slightly underdeveloped. For example, the explanation for why people prioritize work is somewhat repetitive, focusing primarily on financial necessity. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on the implications of these attitudes with more specific examples or deeper analysis, rather than relying on general statements about financial burdens or work-life balance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward. For instance, the transition 'This is the mainly because if their is single person' is grammatically confusing and disrupts the flow. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'which' at the start of a sentence in the third paragraph. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would help the essay flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'indulged' and 'merits', which are used appropriately. However, there are several instances of word choice errors or awkward collocations, such as 'leisure life' instead of 'leisure time' or 'a balanced life', and 'the only thing in their plate' which is an incorrect idiom. While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the range and precision of the language used.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('there are members in the family who helps'), incorrect use of articles, and spelling errors like 'their' instead of 'there'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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