Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
It is very common for people to change both their habits and their opinions as they get older.
Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
Over recent years, stress caused by busy lifestyles has become a hotly debated issue in society. This concern is particularly significant due to its impact on people's health, affecting both individuals and communities. In this essay, I will examine the problems associated with stress caused by busy lifestyles and explore possible solutions, along with their implications for society.
Body Paragraph 1 – Problems
One of the major problems of stress caused by busy lifestyles is poor physical and mental health. This is evident from the fact that people often do not get enough sleep and relaxation. Various studies have shown that stress caused by busy lifestyles often leads to tiredness and anxiety, resulting in serious consequences for individuals and broader society. Additionally, another key issue related to stress caused by busy lifestyles is less time for family and friends. For instance, people who work for long hours may have little time to spend with their families. Therefore, it is evident that the problems arising from stress caused by busy lifestyles must be addressed with urgency and careful consideration.
Body Paragraph 2 – Solutions
Despite these challenges, there are effective solutions to address stress caused by busy lifestyles. One significant approach is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This is particularly effective in situations where people manage their working hours and take regular breaks, as it helps to reduce stress. Furthermore, flexible working hours can also play a crucial role in tackling the issue, benefiting both individuals and society. For instance, employees can work from home and spend more time with their families. Thus, implementing comprehensive strategies is essential for mitigating the negative impacts of stress caused by busy lifestyles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that stress caused by busy lifestyles presents several pressing problems, but also viable solutions that should be seriously considered. Moving forward, it is important to address the root causes of stress caused by busy lifestyles and apply effective measures to ensure positive outcomes for both individuals and society as a whole.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The candidate has written a well-structured essay discussing problems and solutions related to stress and busy lifestyles. However, a major issue exists regarding the prompt: the student has answered an entirely different essay question. The actual prompt asks whether people change habits and opinions as they get older, whereas the candidate has written about the problems and solutions of stress caused by busy lifestyles. According to the official IELTS descriptors, when a response is off-topic or addresses a different task, Task Achievement is heavily penalised. Despite clear paragraphing and relevant development of ideas regarding stress, the failure to address the core question about ageing, habits, and opinions means this criterion cannot exceed a band 4.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The response is logically organized with clear paragraphing, including an introduction, two body paragraphs focusing separately on problems and solutions, and a conclusion. The candidate uses standard cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'Therefore' to connect ideas. However, the coherence is somewhat mechanical due to the rigid template-like phrasing ('Body Paragraph 1 – Problems', 'Body Paragraph 2 – Solutions') left directly in the text. Referencing is generally clear, and progression is maintained throughout the essay. Because the paragraphing is used sufficiently and the logical flow is easy to follow despite the structural artifacts, this criterion warrants a band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms such as 'implications', 'comprehensive strategies', 'mitigating', and 'work-life balance'. However, there is significant repetition of the phrase 'stress caused by busy lifestyles', which appears excessively throughout the text. While there are no severe spelling errors that impede communication, the overuse of this exact phrase limits lexical flexibility. The range is sufficient to communicate the writer's ideas clearly, but the lack of varied lexical choices keeps it at a band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The candidate successfully employs relative clauses and introductory dependent clauses, such as 'This is particularly effective in situations where people manage their working hours...' and 'employees can work from home and spend more time with their families.' Grammatical accuracy is reasonably good with only minor errors, and punctuation is generally correct. Sentence structures show a fair degree of control, allowing the reader to follow the arguments without difficulty. This meets the criteria for band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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