Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

It is important for children, young adults, working people and the retired to have at least one hobby.

What's your opinion about this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is often argued that to have a hobby is significant for every age group people, whether they are children or elders. Although it is vital but not compulsory. However, new generation have many hobbies. From my perspective having some interest which makes people happy should be good in some ways.

To have a hobby can help a person to feel happy. Because when any person faces some difficulties in his life, something makes him happy and comfortable and he forget the problem while doing that. Every age group have different kinds of hobbies. For instance, retired people usually love reading. After surviving difficult life, they find peace in reading. Sometimes they had not have much time for make them happy before retirement, so they enjoy their hobbies after retirement.

There are many changes in recents decades. In past years, the hobbies of childrens and adults were different but now they find new activities that make them happy. For example, the new generation loves to watch horror movies. Therefore, adults sometimes do paintings, calligraphy, photography, hiking and travelling. However, the kids like to do activities related to technology. Sometimes it is good when they gain knowledge from internet but usually it is not good for their health. Overuse of technology is harmful for their eyes and brain. Parents should encourage their children to choose different hobbies in which technology is not involved.

In conclusion, everyone should have something to do that makes them happy. It is very essential for well-being of humans. Hobbies are not for young or children but elders also have opportunities to live happy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear general view that hobbies are beneficial for people of all ages, especially in the conclusion: “everyone should have something to do that makes them happy.” You also provide relevant reasons, such as hobbies offering comfort during difficulties, and examples involving reading, painting and technology. However, the position is not fully clear in the opening: “Although it is vital but not compulsory” appears to qualify your view without explaining how. Some points are asserted rather than developed—for example, the claim that technology-based hobbies are harmful could be supported with a clearer explanation or a specific example. Addressing the benefits and possible limits of hobbies more directly would make the response more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, with each body paragraph broadly focused on a related idea. Examples such as retired people reading and children using technology help illustrate the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow. The shift from retired people’s reading habits to “After surviving difficult life” is abrupt, and the paragraph about changing hobbies moves quickly between generations, technology, health and parental guidance. Linking phrases such as “However” and “Therefore” are used, but some do not clearly express the relationship between the ideas they connect. Organise each paragraph around one main point and use clearer references and transitions to show how each example supports it.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “well-being,” “retirement,” “calligraphy,” “photography” and “overuse of technology.” These choices show some range beyond basic words. However, the overall vocabulary is limited and several noticeable word-choice or form errors make expressions awkward, such as “every age group people,” “new generation,” “recents decades” and “activities related to technology.” Some ideas also rely on repeated general words such as “happy,” “good” and “hobbies,” which reduces precision. Aim to use more natural collocations and vary the language used to describe benefits, interests and age groups. Checking spelling and word forms would also make your meaning clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a conditional-style explanation beginning “when any person faces some difficulties” and a contrast introduced by “Although.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make parts of the response awkward or unclear. Examples include “Although it is vital but not compulsory,” “Every age group have,” “he forget the problem,” and “Sometimes they had not have much time.” There are also problems with articles, plurals and sentence boundaries, as in “Because when any person faces…” used as a fragment. Practise subject–verb agreement, consistent verb forms and complete sentence construction. Building accurate sentences first, then adding subordinate clauses, will improve control without limiting your range.

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