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

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The candidate has completely misunderstood the prompt and written an essay about stress caused by busy lifestyles, rather than discussing whether people change their habits and opinions as they get older. Because the response is entirely off-topic regarding the actual question asked in the prompt, it fails to address any part of the required task. Although the essay is well-structured and explores the causes, problems, and solutions of lifestyle stress in detail with supporting examples, the absence of engagement with the core theme of aging and personal change means that Task Achievement cannot score above Band 3.0. To improve, the candidate must carefully read and analyse the prompt before planning the response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

Despite the severe off-topic nature of the content, the essay itself is exceptionally well-organised and structured. The text features clear paragraphing, including explicit labels such as 'Body Paragraph 1 – Problems' and 'Body Paragraph 2 – Solutions'. There is a logical progression of ideas from introduction to body paragraphs and a formal conclusion. Cohesive devices are used appropriately, and referencing is clear throughout the text. If the essay had addressed the correct prompt, this level of coherence would easily satisfy Band 7.0 or higher. However, because cohesion must be evaluated within the context of the task, the complete divergence from the prompt caps the overall effectiveness, though the internal structural control remains evident.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for discussing general topics. Phrases such as 'hotly debated issue', 'poor physical and mental health', 'work-life balance', and 'comprehensive strategies' show a competent command of English. However, the vocabulary is heavily repetitive, particularly the phrase 'stress caused by busy lifestyles', which is reused verbatim multiple times throughout the response. There are also occasional limitations in lexical flexibility due to this repetition. Nevertheless, the words used are generally accurate and communication is never impeded. This performance aligns well with Band 6.0 descriptors for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The candidate successfully employs relative clauses and conditional structures, such as 'This is particularly effective in situations where people manage their working hours and take regular breaks'. Grammatical accuracy is generally high, with correct verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation across the majority of sentences. While the constant repetition of the long subject phrase makes the syntax somewhat formulaic, the actual grammatical control is quite strong and error-free. This performance comfortably meets the criteria for Band 7.0 in grammatical range and accuracy.

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