Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-16

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)

For few individuals being workaholic in life is the most imperative quality to contain as compared to other things. Whereas, some people believe that having passion for other interests and activities is as much important as working a job. In this essay, we will discuss both attitudes and how balancing both can be more beneficial.

Apparently, doing a job gives a person exposure to the real world. It helps them build ideas and perspectives that help them overall in life. For example, when a person performs an office job, it brings discipline in their life. They become aware of information that can only be gained under that specific job. Along with that it helps them to work in a competitive environment which also increases their efficiency, knowledge and problem solving skills on objectives that they can use in different prospects of daily life.

On the other hand, focusing on other activities is also useful and necessary because working all the time can make a person feel like living a robotic life. For instance, it is scientifically proven that when a person is always under pressure of projects and does not involve in relaxing activities, it causes stress which can result in demotivation, burnout and failure to perform successfully at work. However, not focusing on work hinder progress and the required results are delayed.

To be concluded, when a person is more interested in work, it can cause mental stress and if an individual engages more in free time activities, it can stop them from promoting. Thus, it is important to have a work-life balance to perform well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses both attitudes and gives a clear preference for balance, especially in the conclusion: “it is important to have a work-life balance.” The discussion of work includes relevant benefits such as discipline and exposure to a competitive environment, while the leisure paragraph explains how constant pressure may lead to stress and burnout. However, the two positions are not explored equally in depth: the benefits of hobbies and leisure are mostly framed as relief from work, and the claim that too little focus on work delays results is brief and not explained. Examples are general rather than specific. Develop each attitude with a fuller explanation and a concrete example, and make your own view explicit earlier as well as in the conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, one paragraph on work, one on leisure, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “On the other hand” and “To be concluded” help signal the stages of the response, and the ideas generally follow a sensible order. Some linking is mechanical, however, and the opening “Whereas” creates an awkward connection between two sentences. Within paragraphs, several points are added in sequence without showing precisely how they relate; for example, the list of discipline, information, competitiveness, efficiency, and problem-solving could be grouped and developed more clearly. The conclusion also repeats the two risks rather than synthesising the discussion. Use more varied, accurate links and clearer references between claims and examples.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “competitive environment,” “problem solving skills,” “pressure,” “demotivation,” and “burnout.” These choices make the main ideas understandable, and some less common terms are attempted. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “most imperative quality to contain,” “other prospects of daily life,” and “stop them from promoting.” “Scientifically proven” is also a strong claim without evidence in the essay. These issues sometimes make the reader pause to interpret your meaning. Aim for precise, natural combinations rather than more elaborate wording, and check whether each verb fits its intended meaning. The suggestions below offer alternatives that better express your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at complex structures, such as “when a person is always under pressure … it causes stress,” and the main message remains understandable. However, some sentence patterns are faulty or awkward. For example, “For few individuals being workaholic in life is…” is missing an article and has an unclear structure; “not focusing on work hinder progress” has a subject–verb agreement error; and “does not involve in relaxing activities” uses an incomplete verb pattern. The opening also uses “Whereas” as a sentence fragment, while the final sentence beginning “Thus” is not clearly connected to the preceding clause. Practise accurate clause construction, agreement, articles, and verb patterns, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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.