Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-27
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Music is a path by which people of different nations, castes, and cultures connect with each other. By music, persons of different cultures and ages are close to each other, and I strongly agree with this point.
From ancient times to the current era, people of different cultures use music as a path to share information as well as messages of harmony with other cultures. Habitants of different cultures can judge a person by its special music, which that tribe or state is famous for. Additionally, music not only gives enjoyment to every age group but also plays the role of companion in hard times and happiness. For example, in every major event like the Olympics, a music event of a different culture is performed so that visitors from every country know about the value and ethics of that country or state. Furthermore, even in a country where different cultural entities lived, persons could only know about specific cultural knowledge by music. To strengthen the argument, cite an example of the Kilash festival, as fewer persons know about it, but visitors know about its culture through a special flute event in which some musicians as well as dancers perform to show their performances but also dress codes.
In contrast, according to critics, music is not a feasible path to bring individuals of different cultures and ages together. To strengthen their argument, give an example of Sindhi music. As fewer persons like it due to its high sound and abrupt expressions, but it is famous in the Sindh province.
In conclusion, music is the best path to bring people of different cultures and different age groups to give entertainment as well as give knowledge and ethics about other cultures, even though minor chances where individuals cannot understand other cultures through music.
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 and maintains a clear position throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of the Olympics and cultural festivals, which support the argument well. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The counter-argument regarding Sindhi music is introduced but remains under-developed, as it lacks a clear link to why this would disprove the main thesis. To reach a higher band, ensure that all points are fully extended with logical reasoning. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main stance, though it contains some minor grammatical awkwardness that slightly impacts the clarity of the final thought.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Additionally,' 'Furthermore,' and 'In contrast,' which help guide the reader. However, some of the linking is slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'even in a country where different cultural entities lived, persons could only know about specific cultural knowledge by music.' Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'cultural entities' and 'harmony.' However, there are instances of unnatural word choices, such as 'Habitants' instead of 'Inhabitants' and 'a path by which' which is slightly repetitive. The range is sufficient to communicate, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding the use of collocations and more sophisticated academic vocabulary would significantly improve this score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'By music, persons... are close to each other' (should be 'Through music'), 'a person by its special music' (should be 'their'), and 'minor chances where individuals cannot understand' (should be 'minor instances'). Punctuation is mostly functional, but some sentence constructions are awkward. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions, as these errors occur throughout the text and occasionally distract the reader.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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