Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-10

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 RENENT TIMES, PEOPLE ARE SHIFTING TOWARDS ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND FREELANCING INTEAD OF CORPORATE JOBS. I BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE OF STRICT WORKING HOUR POLICIES AND UNSUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.YET SELFEPLYING CAN CAUSE THEM TO BE OUT OF CASH AND MENTALLY STRESSED.

NEW GENERATION BELIEVES MORE ON TASK BASED JOB AND THEY CONSIDER 9 TO 5 JOB AS WASTE OF TIME.MOREOVER THEY USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY WHICH MAKES THEIR OFFICE TASK TO COMPETE IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. FOR INSTANCE, ACCOUNTS AND PAYMENTS USED TO BE MANAGED MANUALLY AND IT WAS SUCH A TIME TAKING PROCESS NEVERTHELESS PEOPLE USE MODERN SOFTWARES AND DO THIS TASK BY ATUOMATED METHODS.HIGHER HIERARCHIES IN OFFICES USUSALLY ARE STRICH TOWARDS THEIR EMPLOYEES AND MAKE DEDUCTION IN SALARIES ON LESS WORKING HOURS REGARDLESS OF COMPLETION OF TASK. IN ADDTION TO THAT NO COMPENSATION HAS BEEN NORMALLY GIVEN IN CASE OF ABSENCE DUE TO SOME URGENCY.

THIS LEADS TO PEOPLE SHIFT TOWARDS FREELANCING AND OWNING THEIR OWN BUSINESSES NEVERTHELESS THEIR DISADVANTAGES ARE CONCERNING FOR INSTANCE MANY PEOPLE LOSE THEIR ALL SAVINGS IN TRYING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS WHICH CAN CAUSE SEVERE MENTAL STRESS PROBLEMS DUE TO FINANCIAL STRUGGLES TO FULFIL FAMILY AND THEIR OWN DAILY NEEDS.

I MUST STATE THAT COMPANIES SHOULD RECONSIDER THEIR WORK POLICIES AND RESHAPE THEM TO BE FLEXIBLE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. AND MAKE POLICIES TO BE LESS STRICT IN TERM OF SALARY DEDUCTION SO THAT EMPLYEES DO NOT CONSIDER TO MOVE TOWARDS SELF E

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and give a relevant explanation for self-employment, including dissatisfaction with rigid hours and workplace policies, as well as risks such as losing savings and experiencing stress. The example of automated accounting also supports your point about technology making independent work more practical. However, the disadvantages are covered much less fully than the reasons, and the financial and mental-health consequences are asserted rather than illustrated or explained in detail. Your final recommendation about companies changing their policies is relevant, but the response ends abruptly and does not fully complete the idea. The response is also 12 words below the required minimum. Develop the disadvantages with a specific example and finish the conclusion clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph explaining reasons, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a concluding recommendation. This gives the reader a basic route through the answer. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow, and linking words are used mechanically or inaccurately. For example, “nevertheless” introduces ideas that are not contrasts, while “This leads to people shift” does not clearly connect the preceding points to the disadvantages. The final sentence is incomplete, which weakens the overall ending. Use clearer links such as “As a result” for consequences and “However” for contrasts, and make sure each paragraph develops one main point in a logical sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “entrepreneurship,” “freelancing,” “hierarchies,” “automated methods,” and “financial struggles.” These choices show an effort to discuss work and business beyond very basic terms. However, spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural combinations are frequent enough to make parts of the response harder to read, as in “renent times,” “selfreplying,” “time taking process,” and “fulfil family and their own daily needs.” Some expressions also do not convey the intended meaning clearly, such as “task based job” and “office task to compete.” Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations, for example “complete tasks” and “time-consuming process.” More precise wording would help your ideas sound clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a sentence beginning “For instance” and a clause explaining that financial losses “can cause severe mental stress.” However, control is inconsistent, and errors in sentence construction and grammatical patterns sometimes make meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “This leads to people shift,” “their disadvantages are concerning,” and the unfinished final sentence, “so that employees do not consider to move.” Several sentences also run together without clear punctuation, particularly the example about accounting software. Practise using a clear subject and verb in each clause, and check verb patterns after expressions such as “lead to” and “consider.” Breaking long sentences into shorter, complete units will improve accuracy and readability.

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.