Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.

Why might this be the case?

What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In contemporary society, individuals are more keen to be self-employed rather than to work under an employer in office or in organization. There are several reasons for it. I believe that todays generation is more creative and they are shifting to online methods of earning for fast income and people want to be independent earner because they believe in this way there will be no tough schedule to follow. Obviously, this changing pattern will be detrimental for society as money will not circulate and economical status of society will not change. Another effect is that many organizations will suffer as they will not have any working staff when all skillful workers decide to be self employed.

On the one hand, individuals in today society want to be rich without hard work and many are blessed with creative knowledge. Online platforms provide its consumer with various opportunities and when individuals invest their creative and thoughtful skills on thier work, these platforms really provide its user with the best awards. These tool are advantageous if someone wants to earn money quickly because you can earn money with just some clicks on your computer or laptop screens. Additionally, people in the past really suffer from their work routine, As they have to follow nine to five time table and still they earn minimum amount. So now people are advanced and they do not want to waste their time in jobs that is not suitable for them. Nowdays, people usually are their own boss and they decide when it is feasible for them to work and they usually perform accordind to their schedule.

When most skillful individuals are not willing to work in office jobs or in corporate societies, these busnisses will suffer as they will not have enough skilled worker. All businesses require innovative ideas and strategies for its success and youth is highly creative and play a fundamental role in company's success. In this way, company will compete among its competitors. But if youth select some other career options, then it will have negative impact on ongoing projects. Furthermore, when most people are self-employed, money is not circulated in the society and there will be no chances that a country will grow economically. Because people who are self-employed they will not create futher career options for other people and unemployment status of these individuals will not change.

In conclusion, people are becoming more self-employed, because through their creativity they have better career options available and they do not have to follow a schedule. Obviously, it has demerits too. For instance unemployment status will not change and country will not grow economically.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions: you suggest that online opportunities, creative work, independence, and flexible schedules attract people to self-employment, and you identify possible effects on businesses and the wider economy. However, the response does not consistently distinguish personal disadvantages of self-employment from broader consequences for society. For example, the claim that money will not circulate and that unemployment will remain unchanged is asserted rather than explained, and the idea that people want to become rich “without hard work” is a broad generalisation. Develop the disadvantages with clearer, more direct examples, such as irregular income or lack of employee benefits, and explain how each follows from self-employment. The main position is present, but some ideas remain unclear or insufficiently supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate body paragraphs and a conclusion. The first body paragraph explains reasons for choosing self-employment, while the next focuses on effects on companies and the economy, so the reader can follow the broad direction. However, the opening also introduces disadvantages before the reasons are developed, and the final body paragraph shifts between business staffing, economic growth and unemployment without a clear progression. Linking phrases such as “On the one hand,” “Additionally,” and “Furthermore” help signal relationships, but some are mechanical or do not accurately clarify the connection. Organise each paragraph around one main point, use clearer references, and make the conclusion summarise the developed arguments rather than repeat broad claims.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “self-employed,” “online platforms,” “innovative ideas,” and “career options,” which allows you to discuss work and business. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “fundamental role” and “detrimental.” However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision: “thier,” “busnisses,” “accordind,” and “futher” are misspelled, while “best awards” and “money is not circulated” are unnatural in context. Some wording is also repetitive, particularly “people,” “creative,” and “schedule.” Build a more accurate range of collocations for employment and financial risk, and proofread spelling. More precise vocabulary would make your explanations clearer without relying on broad phrases such as “negative impact.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses beginning with “because,” “when,” and “if.” This gives the response some structural variety, and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, complex sentences are often not controlled accurately. For example, “These tool are advantageous” has a number-agreement error, and “people who are self-employed they will not create” uses a duplicated subject. There are also problems with articles, verb forms and sentence boundaries, as in “work routine, As they have to follow” and “jobs that is not suitable for them.” Capitalisation after commas is inconsistent, and several long sentences would benefit from clearer punctuation. Practise checking subject–verb agreement, clause structure and sentence boundaries, then edit each sentence for accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.