Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-04

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 recent time, people really want to earn money for themselves and family members. Sometimes, individuals are tried of doing an unsatisfied job. They wanted to become a CEO or businessmen for their own company. This essay will discuss some cases why people choose to be self-employed and drawbacks of being self-employed after I will give my opinion.

There are some situations where people prefer to be a businessmen. First, some companies do not pay sufficient money to their employee. Even if, employee put in enough effort and still the salary is not good, then that time employee wants to become self-employed. Second, workers or employees feel more pressure and stress while doing these kind of job. It will effects on mental and physical health. Sometimes, it leads to depression. Moreover, many people feel like cage when they do job because sometimes if leave application is not approved so need to cancel the plans and due to this they do not have time for follow their dreams.

There are few disadvantages of being self-employed. In any MNC company the monthly income is fixed and there is no delay on salary. While, on the own company or businesses the income is not fix sometimes it is on the lower then expected. Individuals need to be a ready for profit and loss. It all depends on how people put their exertion on work. For example, many people open a small business and if they face any kind of loss then they stop that business. It is not best way to become a successful, the best way is consistency.

From my perspective, being a self-employed is very significant and valuable things. People find it better and comfortable options in owing a business. Therefore, if any big MNC company provide good salary and incentives to their employees and maintain positive atmosphere in work then, employee should think twice before becoming a businessmen.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for self-employment and the disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention low pay and stress as reasons, and financial instability as a disadvantage, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-integrated examples. The introduction is slightly repetitive, and the conclusion introduces a new point about MNCs that was not fully explored in the body. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, extended explanation of the point rather than listing several brief ideas. The position is clear, but the overall development is basic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'Even if, employee put in enough effort and still the salary is not good' is grammatically disjointed and lacks a smooth transition. The use of 'While' at the start of a sentence to contrast ideas is also syntactically incorrect. Paragraphing is present, but the logical flow between sentences is sometimes interrupted by awkward phrasing. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'conversely') would significantly improve the coherence of your arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive terms such as 'good', 'bad', and 'job'. There are also instances of incorrect word choice, such as 'feel like cage' (should be 'feel caged') and 'exertion on work' (which is unnatural). Some phrases are slightly informal or imprecise, such as 'In recent time' instead of 'In recent times'. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to business and employment, and try to use more sophisticated synonyms to avoid repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently omit articles ('the' or 'a'), such as 'become a businessmen' (should be 'become a businessman') and 'on the own company'. Subject-verb agreement is also an issue, for example, 'It will effects on' (should be 'It will affect'). There are several instances of awkward phrasing that require the reader to re-read to understand the intended meaning. While the errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to impact the overall fluency of the text.

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

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