Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-28
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)
I believe music can be the language of harmony among people, bringing them togther regardless of their culture and age. It is the key to unlock the secrets of any soul. It touches us in a very unique way that no other thing can. No doubt, It can be the most personal thing of all but at the same time can also be the thing that connects us human beings with one another in a deeply emotional level that we can not express using scientific terms or mathematical equations. Once your favourite song starts playing, it does not matter what age you are at that point, or what culture you belong to, all that matters is that very moment, and the people who are with you enjoying the same music. You do not care about what their age is or any other difference they may have, all you care about is sharing these lyrics with them and being in the moment truly.
We all relate to each other because of our emotions, they are the very core of our humanity. Music is the method of expressing those emotions when nothing else works. It lets you feel what the other person is feeling. It lets you walk in their shoes and live in their emotions, even if it is just for a moment, you get to experience their pain, love, heartbreak, happiness, sadness or anger, which makes you more connected to them then any conversation would have done. If I were given to rate how important music is regarding bringing people together then I would give it the higest ranking ever and say that there is no better way.
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 by expressing a clear position in agreement with the idea that music brings people of different cultures and ages together. The writer presents relevant ideas regarding emotional connection and shared human experiences, such as 'sharing these lyrics with them' and experiencing emotions like 'pain, love, heartbreak'. However, the development of ideas leans heavily on repetition of emotional concepts rather than exploring specific examples of cultural or generational bridging. The arguments are somewhat generalised and lack concrete illustrations from personal knowledge or experience, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, all parts of the prompt are addressed, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response shows a coherent overall arrangement and logical progression of ideas, moving from the general power of music to specific emotional sharing. However, the text suffers from a major structural flaw: it is divided into only two long paragraphs, which does not represent sufficient or appropriate paragraphing for an essay of this type. Cohesive devices are used, but referencing is sometimes repetitive or slightly unclear, as seen in phrases like 'it does not matter... all that matters is... all you care about'. While the flow of ideas is maintained, the lack of clear paragraph breaks to separate distinct points impacts the overall organisational score.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The writer demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting less common phrases such as 'language of harmony', 'unlock the secrets of any soul', and 'walk in their shoes'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, including 'togther' instead of 'together', 'on a deeply emotional level' instead of 'at a deeply emotional level', and 'higest ranking' instead of 'highest ranking'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect a Band 6 level where vocabulary attempts are present alongside regular inaccuracies.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over structure. Examples include conditional and relative clauses like 'Once your favourite song starts playing, it does not matter what age you are...' and 'If I were given to rate how important music is...'. However, there are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text, such as comma splices ('No doubt, It can be...') and awkward phrasing ('If I were given to rate'). Despite these errors, the majority of simple sentences are accurate and meaning is generally clear, placing the response firmly in the Band 6 category.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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