Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-02

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 4.5)

In modern life, [TOPIC] is becoming increasingly important. Nowadays, many people believe that [TOPIC] is a positive/negative trend. While some argue that it may lead to several problems, I believe that its benefits/drawbacks far outweigh its disadvantages/advantages. In this essay, I will explain the reasons for my opinion.

There are several reasons why I hold this view. The primary reason is that [TOPIC] enables/encourages people to (do something beneficial/harmful with one example). Moreover, it provides additional advantages/disadvantages, such as (another benefit or drawback). In other words, (TOPIC) places people in a better/less favorable position to improve their quality of life, achieve their goals, and enhance their overall well-being.

Another significant point is that [TOPIC] not only effect individuals but also has a considerable impact on society as a whole. For example it can (mention a society benefit or harm with one example). Furthermore, its positive/negative influence extends to both society and the economy, making it an important issue that deserves careful consideration. This is why many people support/oppose it

To conclude, although [TOPIC] may have a few minor drawbacks, its advantages/disadvantages are far more significant. Therefore, I believe that it is a trend that should be welcomed/approach with caution

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement, containing only 199 words instead of the required 250, which severely limits task completion. Furthermore, the submission is largely off-topic and resembles a generic template filled with placeholders like "[TOPIC]" rather than addressing the specific prompt concerning work versus leisure. Because the essay does not properly engage with the two distinct attitudes or provide a fully formed personal opinion, it addresses the task only minimally. To improve, the writer must generate original content tailored directly to the specific prompt and ensure the essay reaches the required word count by fully developing all arguments with specific examples and evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The essay displays a basic structural framework with clear paragraph divisions, allowing for some overall progression as it moves from an introduction to body paragraphs and a conclusion. However, cohesion is heavily mechanical and repetitive due to the reliance on formulaic template phrases. Referencing is unclear because placeholder terms are used instead of actual nouns, making the logical flow difficult to follow in places. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to move away from rigid templates and employ natural, varied cohesive devices that connect ideas smoothly, ensuring that referencing points clearly to fully realised concepts rather than abstract placeholders.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The lexical resource demonstrates an adequate range for basic communication, utilizing standard functional vocabulary necessary for an essay format. However, because the text relies heavily on template brackets and placeholders like "[TOPIC]", the actual vocabulary specific to the task is absent. There are also minor lexical errors and awkward pairings, such as "approach with caution" lacking proper grammatical alignment in the final sentence. To progress to a higher band, the student should incorporate less common lexical items naturally, use precise word choices relevant to the prompt, and avoid generic fill-in-the-blank structures that restrict precise vocabulary control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, showcasing an ability to construct compound and multi-clause sentences such as "While some argue that it may lead to several problems, I believe that its benefits far outweigh its disadvantages." There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including missing punctuation in sentences like "For example it can", but these errors rarely impede overall communication. The grammar shows good baseline control for a competent user. To reach a higher band, the student should produce a greater frequency of error-free complex sentences and ensure meticulous punctuation control across all parts of the text.

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