Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-11

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)

People have different opinions about the work and other activities. Some people believe working is the most important think of their life, and other thinks their hobbies and leisure interests are more valuable. This essay will discuss both views, but I personally believe that both things are really important for a good and balanced life.

Some people regard work as more important then having little interest in anything else because they are so focused and into their work they don't think about the others things. It is a good habit to stay oriented to your professional life but for instance , if someone is always staying in a situation where they have to deal with stress, deadlines and work pressure all the time it will cause them a lot of issues. Like, they will have depression, health issues and headaches' , etc.

While other people are more enthusiastic about their hobbies and leisure time. It is very important for humans to have some time for themselves to relax their minds, refresh , and boost their energies doing the activities that make them feel better. But, there is a shadow side too, as some people think it is more important to enjoy their leisure time than jobs, which is totally wrong. For example, if a company manager isn't working properly and not focused to his duties, just enjoy his time in the company that will results in the company bad performance. This will automatically put his job in risk.

In the end, I will say both play very important role in our lives, if we don't give time to ourselves, it will result in health issues and if we are not sincere with the our jobs and just want to enjoy our life will effect us financially.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both attitudes and state a clear personal view: “both things are really important for a good and balanced life.” The response also gives relevant consequences on each side, including stress-related health problems and the effect of a manager’s lack of focus on company performance. However, the discussion is unevenly developed. The work-focused view is mainly described as causing stress, while the benefits that work can bring—such as purpose, achievement, or financial security—are not explored. The leisure-focused view is also presented largely through a warning about neglecting work. To strengthen the response, explain why people may prioritise each attitude and develop your balanced opinion with a specific example or fuller reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each attitude, and a conclusion that returns to your balanced position. Transitions such as “While” and “In the end” help signal the stages of the discussion. Within paragraphs, however, some connections are abrupt or mechanical. For example, “Like, they will have depression” introduces a list without smoothly linking it to the preceding explanation, and the manager example moves quickly from poor focus to the company’s performance and job security. Some references, such as “both things,” are also broad. Use clearer links between cause and consequence, and organise each body paragraph around a main point followed by explanation and an example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, and you attempt relevant expressions such as “work pressure,” “leisure interests,” “health issues,” and “company performance.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, which makes parts of the argument less precise. Examples include “the most important think of their life,” “oriented to your professional life,” and “put his job in risk.” Some informal wording, such as “Like,” also does not suit an academic essay. Build a more precise range for discussing work and wellbeing, and check whether words naturally combine in English. The suggestions below offer alternatives that fit your intended meanings.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a conditional structure in “if someone is always staying … it will cause them a lot of issues.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “other thinks” has a subject–verb agreement error, “it will results” uses the wrong verb form, and “both play very important role” is missing an article and plural marking. Sentence boundaries and punctuation also need attention: the opening of the second paragraph has an awkward construction, and commas are misplaced in phrases such as “refresh , and boost.” Practise accurate agreement, articles, and verb forms, then proofread punctuation while keeping your varied sentence structures.

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