Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Write about the following topic:

In many countries, family members work together in their family business.

Do you think family businesses have more advantages than disadvantages?

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 in some countries people work together in their family business. I strongly believe that this trend have more advantages as compair to disadvantages like their experience, knowledge, and their trust for each others.

If we talk about the benefits, that family members having working in their own business. First and foremost, they have good experience in that work because they are doing that since long time in the way of helping and leaning. Due to good family relations and trust,family members are the good manpower for any work or business. Furthermore it can save a lot of money and extra expeses for the business if all members are working,because they do not need to hire employee. Their training and benefit expenes can be saved.

Although there are lot of advantages for businesses if they all work together in family businesses,but there are few disadvantages. Firstly chances of big losses, for instance if all the members working in one business it mean they have not any other source of income. During the big losses or slow periods ,it is not possible for them to help each other. Secondly, working all together create more family problems.Any ups and downs in business also effect their personal lifes.It is not easy for them to had a argument at work and just walk away after work, because they have to face each other at home.

In conclusion, I think it is good for families to work together and earn good but it can also impact badly in their personal lifes and their personal spaces.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear: you believe family businesses have more advantages, and you discuss both benefits and drawbacks before reaffirming this view. The points about experience, trust and reduced staffing costs are relevant, while the risks of relying on one income source and bringing work conflicts home address the other side of the question. However, some ideas are asserted rather than fully explained. For example, the claim that family members’ experience helps the business would be stronger with a specific illustration of how that experience improves its work. The point about losses is also not fully clear: explain why working together makes the family more vulnerable, or how they might manage that risk. Develop and support these points more evenly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on advantages, a paragraph on disadvantages and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “First and foremost,” “Furthermore,” “Firstly” and “Secondly” help readers follow the main points, and the conclusion returns to your overall view. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some of the flexibility associated with stronger cohesion. However, several transitions feel mechanical, and the opening of the benefits paragraph (“If we talk about the benefits…”) does not lead smoothly into a complete sentence. Some links between claims also need clearer explanation, particularly between business losses and the family’s lack of another income source. Use more natural transitions and make each paragraph’s reasoning progress explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a basic range of vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “experience,” “trust,” “losses,” “source of income” and “personal spaces.” These terms allow you to communicate the main advantages and disadvantages. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling, word-form and collocation errors make parts less natural or harder to understand, such as “compair,” “leaning,” “expeses,” and “good manpower.” Phrases such as “their trust for each others” and “earn good” are also imprecise. Aim to learn common business collocations and check spelling and word forms carefully. More precise expressions would help you explain your ideas without relying on repeated general words such as “good” and “work.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a conditional idea (“if all the members working in one business…”) and a contrast introduced by “Although.” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but control is uneven: some complex constructions are incomplete or faulty, and errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and punctuation recur. For example, “this trend have” needs subject–verb agreement, while “family members having working” does not form a correct clause. “It is not easy for them to had a argument” also combines an incorrect verb form with an article error. Practise building complete clauses with a clear subject and correctly inflected verb, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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