Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-26

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)

Agriculture industry around the world has advanced significantly, however a vast number of individuals don't have food. The inflation has made it difficult for the people to even get the needful. To solve this we need to improve our governmental policies and to work for the betterment of our farmers and struggling individuals.

Over the past decades, several advances have been made towards our agricultural lands and practices, to increase the crops production and to add to the benefits of our farmers. Despite these improvements, the rise in the prices of the basic necessities makes its difficult for the people to make their ends meet, even the farmers themselves who are growing them. For instance, lack of proper resources results in farmers not being able to buy even the required fertilisers and pesticides which in turn also effects the plants. Secondly, a lot of the good produce is exported, which leads to the remaining resources being scarce and therefore inflation for our general public.

To improve this government should work towards the improvement in living standards of our farmers and struggling families. Governments funds can be allocated to provide sufficient food and the basic necessities required to make the required living. Additionally, our export products should be handled with the right balance so as to provide enough for our people.

To summarise, even though various developments have lead to easy farming practices and increase in crop production, the basic necessities are still out of reach for most of our people. However, with the right government policies everyone can benefit from the advancements and help our country become a developed nation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for hunger and potential solutions. However, the development is somewhat superficial. While you mention inflation and export issues, these points are not fully explored with depth or specific, illustrative examples. For instance, the mention of 'lack of proper resources' is vague. To reach a higher band, you should provide more concrete evidence or detailed explanations of how these factors specifically lead to global hunger. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments lack the necessary elaboration to be considered fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'For instance,' 'Secondly,' and 'Additionally' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the problem and the solution could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels a bit repetitive in the conclusion. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph builds logically upon the previous one would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'agricultural lands,' 'necessities,' and 'allocated.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'effects the plants' (should be 'affects') and 'make the required living' (which is not a standard collocation). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and ensuring that words are used in their correct context to convey your meaning more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are persistent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'Agriculture industry' lacks an article, 'makes its difficult' contains a pronoun error, and 'developments have lead' is a spelling error (should be 'led'). Additionally, some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'Governments funds can be allocated.' While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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