Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-10

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 this contemporary society individuals prefer to be an entrepreneur instead of becoming an employee in companies and organisation. This has become a heated topic. What is the reason for this in addition the advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in this essay.

There are several reasons, first because of inflation.

The salaries of individuals are the same as they were in the past nevertheless, the prices of groceries and daily needs are raised as twice companies are not giving individuals the salaries they deserve; in addition, they are living in a very miserable state. Second, toxic environments drain the mental energy of individuals. They are working with their full effort rather then encouraging and praising them they are mocked by their sarcastic seniors. Third lack of jobs numerous individuals are unemployed despite having the highest qualifications.

Individuals who had studied for years to get a job are unemployed. Things like these were making anxious and depressed but nowadays individuals are starting their own businesses. These are the few reasons why individuals are starting there own business and learning a new skill. Owning a business or giving a service is very demanding and can create a great source of income if the business is succeed it can create generational wealth but there are several people who starts them without having sufficient knowledge and experience who does not understand the significant of a business. The result of this is facing loss. Several individuals who had sold their land or something valuable when the face a long they are not expecting they get broke.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for self-employment and the disadvantages. However, the development is uneven. The reasons provided (inflation, toxic work environments, and unemployment) are relevant but lack depth and specific examples. The discussion of disadvantages is somewhat vague, focusing on the lack of knowledge and financial loss without fully exploring the broader implications. The introduction misinterprets the prompt slightly by mentioning 'advantages' in the outline, which were not requested. To improve, you should expand on your points with concrete examples or logical consequences, ensuring that each paragraph is fully developed rather than just listing ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is often interrupted by awkward phrasing and abrupt transitions. While you use some cohesive devices like 'first', 'second', and 'in addition', they are sometimes used mechanically or incorrectly. For example, the transition between the reasons for self-employment and the disadvantages is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where 'the face a long' is confusing. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence flows naturally into the next to create a more cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on common, repetitive words like 'individuals' and 'business'. There are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'prices... are raised as twice' and 'the significant of a business'. Some phrases are grammatically incorrect, such as 'if the business is succeed'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to economics and employment, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations to ensure your writing sounds more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'there are several people who starts'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'if the business is succeed'), and punctuation errors. The sentence 'Things like these were making anxious and depressed' is missing a subject. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading your work to catch basic errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure.

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

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