Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-28

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 has developed significantly, hunger still remains a serious problem in many parts of the world. There are several reasons for this issue, particularly high prices of the goods and unstable government policies. However, measures can be taken, such as strict price regulations on food products and government subsidies for poor people.

One major reason for hunger is the high cost of food and the unstable government policies. This means poor families may not be able to afford enough food for their daily needs. As a result, even if food is available in the market, people may still remain hungry. Moreover, unstable government policies for food and agriculture authorities may result in unstable food prices. For instance, if there is no one to look after these prices, suppliers and distributers can set higher prices to earn more profit. Eventually, people may suffer from food shortages.

Several measures can be taken to overcome this issue, such as stricter price regulations on food items and government subsidies for needy people. Authorities can introduce proper price lists for food items and ensure that all suppliers, distriutors and local shops must follow them. As a result, items cannot be sold on a higher price. Additionally, the government can give some relief to people, like subsidies which can help to lower the overall price of food items.

In conclusion, although many advancements have been made in the agriculture field, people are still facing hunger. A lack of government regulations and high prices of food are the major causes of this problem. However, suitable measures such as financial subsidies and strict price control can be provided by the government.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by identifying causes (high food prices and unstable government policies) and proposing practical solutions (price regulations and government subsidies). The position is clear throughout the essay. However, the ideas lack deep extension and some points feel slightly repetitive. For example, the explanation regarding suppliers setting higher prices in the absence of market regulation is relevant, but the development remains somewhat superficial compared to a Band 7 requirement where ideas need to be more fully extended. Nevertheless, all components of the prompt are covered appropriately and the main arguments are logically structured and relevant to the agricultural theme.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph-by-paragraph structure that moves from introduction to causes, solutions, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to link sentences and paragraphs, as seen with phrases like 'Consequently', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally mechanical or repetitive, such as the repeated reliance on formulaic transitional phrases at the beginning of paragraphs. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, ensuring that the progression of thought remains clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'agriculture', 'subsidies', 'suppliers', and 'price regulations'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though a few lexical choices and collocations are slightly imprecise, such as 'distriutors' (spelling error) and 'sold on a higher price' instead of 'sold at a higher price'. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the main arguments clearly, and spelling and word-choice errors do not impede communication, placing the response firmly within the Band 6 descriptor range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional clauses ('if there is no one to look after these prices') and concessive clauses ('Although agriculture has developed significantly'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as 'distriutors' and minor prepositional inaccuracies like 'on a higher price', but these errors are infrequent and rarely impede communication. The majority of the simple sentences are accurate, and the complex structures show a commendable attempt to vary sentence patterns, aligning well with the Band 6 criteria for grammatical range and accuracy.

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