Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-20
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people say History is one of the most important school subjects. Other people think that in today’s world subjects like Science and technology are more important than History.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example form your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
Working from home has become increasingly common over the last decade. Some people believe that working from home offers several benefits, while others argue that it has many drawbacks. This essay will discuss both views before explaining why I believe that remote work is beneficial for helping people maintain a better balance in their lives.
On the one hand, working from home offers many advantages. Firstly, it helps people save both time and money because it reduces the need to travel long distances to and from work. Instead of spending hours commuting, employees can use this time to rest or complete household responsibilities. Secondly, working from home often provides greater flexibility, allowing people to spend more time with their families, which is essential for their well-being. For instance, employees who work remotely can spend more time with their children, which may reduce stress and improve their overall quality of life. As a result, remote work can make people’s daily lives more convenient and manageable.
On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages to working from home. One of the major drawbacks is a lack of face-to-face communication, which can reduce productivity. When employees do not have direct contact with their colleagues, they may feel isolated and stressed, which can negatively affect their job performance.
In conclusion, although remote work has some disadvantages, I believe that its benefits are greater. It allows employees to save time and money, provides greater flexibility and enables them to spend more time with their families. Therefore, working from home can be a valuable way of improving people’s work-life balance when it is managed effectively.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 1.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0
The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for a discussion on the importance of History versus Science and Technology in school curricula. However, the student has written an essay about the advantages and disadvantages of working from home. Because the response fails to address the prompt entirely, it cannot be assessed against the task requirements. According to the IELTS criteria, a response that is completely unrelated to the task must be awarded a band score of 1.0 for Task Achievement, as it does not address any part of the set question.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
Despite being off-topic, the essay itself is structured logically. It uses clear paragraphing, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'On the one hand', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. The progression of ideas within the paragraphs is coherent and easy to follow. While the content is irrelevant to the prompt, the internal structure and the use of linking words demonstrate a level of proficiency that would typically be associated with a higher band score in a relevant essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is appropriate for an academic essay, showing a good range of functional language. Phrases such as 'increasingly common', 'household responsibilities', 'well-being', and 'job performance' are used accurately. The student demonstrates an ability to use topic-specific vocabulary related to the theme of remote work, even though that theme is incorrect for the task. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, and the language is natural and sufficiently varied for the level of the writing produced.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The student uses subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'When employees do not have direct contact with their colleagues, they may feel isolated'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout the text. There are very few grammatical errors, and the control over sentence construction is consistent. The writing is clear and fluent, demonstrating a solid grasp of English grammar, which would be sufficient for a higher band if the content were relevant to the task.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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