Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-18
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry.
Why is this the case?
What can be done about this problem?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Although agriculture technology has improved in recent decades. hunger remains a serious global issue. This essay will discuss the main reason for this and suggest possible solutions.
One major reason is poverty. Many people do not have enough money to buy food. Another reason is war and conflicts. In countries where there is war farms can be destroyed, roads can be damage and people may not be able to grow or buy food. Food waste is another problem. Many people throw away food while other people do not have enough to eat. Also floods can destroy crops and cause food shortages.
There are several ways to reduce hunger. First, the government should help poor farmers by giving them money, good seeds and some modern farming tools. Secondly the government should provide free meals to people who can not afford food. Third people should try to waste less food. Rich countries can also help poor countries by providing food and money.
In conclusion, hunger still exists because of poverty, wars, conflicts, food waste and environmental problems. By supporting farmers, improving food distribution and reducing waste, governments can help ensure that more people have enough food.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt (reasons for hunger and solutions), but the development is significantly hampered by the word count. At 194 words, the essay fails to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. Consequently, the ideas are presented in a list-like fashion rather than being fully extended or supported with detailed examples. While the points regarding poverty, conflict, and government intervention are relevant, they lack the depth and elaboration required for a higher band score. To improve, you must expand on your arguments by providing specific examples, statistics, or logical consequences for each point raised.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic and repetitive (e.g., 'One major reason', 'Another reason', 'First', 'Secondly', 'Third'). The transitions between sentences are functional but lack variety and sophistication. To improve, try using a wider range of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more fluidly, and ensure that referencing is used to avoid simple sentence structures.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite simple and repetitive. You rely on common words like 'money', 'food', and 'help'. While the meaning is always clear, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language that would demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. For example, instead of 'help poor farmers', you could use 'provide financial subsidies to small-scale agriculturalists'. To reach a higher band, focus on incorporating more precise, academic vocabulary and collocations related to the topic of global hunger and economic development.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that detract from the quality of the writing, such as 'roads can be damage' (should be 'damaged') and 'people who can not afford' (should be 'cannot'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with missing commas after introductory phrases. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to limit the score. You should focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and verb forms, and aim to incorporate a greater variety of complex sentence structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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