Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-20
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Nowadays, people have wide range of choices in many areas of life such as food, fashion, jobs, educational career and entertainment. While having more options is pretty good I partly agree with that because it can sometime difficult to choose option in all of them.
On the other hand, having more choices people give freedom easy to select one of them or what they want. For example, when buying a mobile phone there are lots of option people have. Some one select mobile by their good result of camera and some select by they love design of phone.
On the other hand, an excessive number of choices can create confusion and stress. When people have too many alternatives, it can become difficult to decide which one is the most suitable. For instance, online shopping websites may offer hundreds of similar products, which can make customers spend a lot of time comparing them. Moreover, people may worry that they have made the wrong choice after selecting one option. This can reduce satisfaction even when their final decision is actually good.
In conclusion, I believe that having a variety of choices is generally beneficial, but too many options can sometimes create confusion and stress. Therefore, people should have enough choices to meet their needs without being overwhelmed by unnecessary alternatives.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the extent of agreement regarding whether we have too many choices nowadays. The writer presents a clear position in the introduction, stating that they partly agree, and develops relevant ideas about both the benefits and the drawbacks of having numerous choices, such as freedom of selection versus confusion and stress. However, the response falls short of the minimum length requirement, containing only 218 words instead of the required 250. This under-length impacts the overall development of ideas, leaving certain points slightly underdeveloped. Consequently, the task achievement is constrained by the length penalty, aligning best with a Band 5.5 score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a generally clear overall structure with basic paragraphing. The introduction sets out the topic and the writer's stance, while the body paragraphs attempt to contrast the advantages and disadvantages. However, there are significant cohesion issues, notably the repetitive and incorrect use of transition markers. For example, the writer uses 'On the other hand' twice consecutively to introduce different points, rather than using contrasting transitional devices appropriately. Referencing is also occasionally unclear. While the flow is partially maintained, these mechanical and repetitive cohesive devices limit the effectiveness of the text, fitting comfortably within the Band 5.5 descriptor range.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for communicating basic ideas, featuring terms such as 'entertainment', 'alternatives', and 'online shopping websites'. However, the range is limited and repetitive. There are several noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'have wide range of choices' (missing article 'a'), 'educational career', and 'pretty good' (which is too informal for an academic essay). Furthermore, phrases like 'freedom easy to select' show a lack of lexical control. Because these errors and the limited range occasionally cause slight difficulty for the reader, this criterion corresponds to a Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and moderately complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses starting with 'While having more options...' and 'When people have too many alternatives...'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('have wide range'), preposition issues, and awkward phrasing like 'it can sometime difficult to choose option in all of them'. Complex structures often contain mistakes, and basic agreement rules are occasionally overlooked. Because these frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader while still allowing the general meaning to be conveyed, a Band 5.5 is appropriate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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