Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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 a fact that in many countries family members run businesses together. Although this development has few a drawbacks, I believe it offers more significant advantages. This essay will examine both sides and provide relevant examples.

To begin with, the first key point to consider as a major limitation is the risk of family disputes. This is because other family members with experience might want to acquire the entire business for themselves. As a result, disagreements over business ownership, decision- making or inheritance could damage family relationships. For example, family differences could lead to major disputes in court and incur huge, unnecessary expenses. This demonstrates why family-owned companies can be disadvantageous.

On the other hand, despite having some drawbacks, there several are important benefits. First of all, being a part of the family with their own businesses helps a person to gain basic knowledge for the business since childhood. Therefore, this exposure significantly helps an individual to learn things at a younger age which eventually leads to smooth and easy career transition. Secondly, there is one elder family member who is head of the business as well as head of the house. Therefore, all other members listens to him and respects his decisions

In conclusion, I opine to say that family disputes are major drawbacks but exposure to buiness world at early age

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You take a clear position in the introduction, stating that family businesses offer “more significant advantages,” and you address both benefits and drawbacks. The discussion of disputes is relevant and includes a consequence—legal costs and damaged relationships. However, the advantages are less fully explained: early exposure to business is identified, but the claim that one senior family member’s authority helps the business is left unfinished and unsupported. The conclusion also stops mid-idea, so it does not clearly restate your overall judgement. The response is 26 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop and support your points. Complete the conclusion and add a specific example to explain how family involvement benefits a business.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on disadvantages, a paragraph on advantages, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin with,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” helps readers follow the broad direction. However, progression is weakened by abrupt or incomplete ideas: the second advantage ends after “respects his decisions,” without explaining its relevance, and the conclusion is unfinished. Some linking is mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “Therefore,” while “This demonstrates why” refers back clearly but adds little development. Build each body paragraph around a complete point, explanation, and example, and use transitions that show the relationship between ideas rather than simply announcing them.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “family disputes,” “business ownership,” “inheritance,” “career transition,” and “family-owned companies.” These choices make the main ideas understandable, and some topic-specific language is effective. There are also several inaccurate or awkward expressions, such as “few a drawbacks,” “acquire the entire business for themselves,” and “exposure to business world.” “Business differences” may be more precise than “family differences” in the example about court disputes. The spelling error “buiness” also detracts from accuracy. Aim for natural collocations and check word forms and spelling; for example, use “some drawbacks” and “exposure to the business world.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although this development has…” and a cause-and-effect structure beginning “This is because…”. Most of the meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. Examples include “there several are important benefits,” where the word order is faulty, and “all other members listens,” where the subject and verb do not agree. The final sentence is also incomplete, and the conclusion lacks a complete main clause. Check sentence completeness, subject–verb agreement, and word order during revision. More consistently accurate complex sentences, alongside the simpler structures you already use, would make the argument easier to follow.

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