Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-18
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)
It is undeniable that in this modern era different people have different mind on thinking about one idea. In this regard, Many people select to be self-employed, rather than to work for a organization. This essay will be outlined not only the reason of this statement but also some disadvantages in forthcoming fragment with logical conclusion.
To commence with, There are several reason for choosing a self-employed. In the prime one is that, they not have fix time for work and not have burden to follow instructions by anyone. there are apparent reason to justify this notion, The first and foremost was if they have own company they give more potential for their growth and have chance to collect ideas from their colleagues and have ability to work mind freely without any hesitation. Another striking, Its becomes more profitable as compare to work under the anyone. To explain, if person run their own organization all profit firstly into their pocket and have more chance for good spent for expanding their business. As result, Rahul my friend start business after spend their 10 years to a one company at fix salary they decide to work their own for high income.
However, there are some drawbacks of self-employed. Firstly, High risk of loss affect their future. To clarify it, if person spend from their own saving they might be have high chance of loss sometimes it affect their future. To proved, I seem my childhood school owner he spent for future but school will not become famous and less admissions from surrounding and gone a close in few years. Another prominent, people always in stress about their business. To elaborate, When a new person start a business he may be have load on their mind about the future.
To conclude, although there are some reasons of this notion such as not have fix time for work, it becomes more profitable rather than work under the anyone. yet there drawbacks will can be never neglected at any cost.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for self-employment and the potential disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For example, the explanation regarding 'profit' is clear, but the points about 'time' and 'stress' are underdeveloped. The response lacks a clear, consistent position, and the supporting examples, such as the mention of 'Rahul', are slightly anecdotal and could be more effectively integrated to support the argument. To improve, ensure that each point is fully extended with clear reasoning and specific, relevant examples that directly relate to the broader context of the topic.
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, such as 'To commence with' and 'Another striking'. There are also issues with referencing and logical flow; for instance, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is abrupt. While there is an overall progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the occasional misuse of cohesive markers make the text feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the variety and accuracy of transition signals would significantly enhance the flow of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There is frequent repetition of basic terms like 'business', 'work', and 'company'. Some word choices are unnatural or incorrect, such as 'mind on thinking about one idea' or 'gone a close'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of idiomatic expressions or less common lexical items limits the score. To improve, focus on learning collocations and synonyms to avoid repetitive phrasing and to express ideas with greater precision.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement ('they not have fix time'), article usage, and sentence structure ('there are apparent reason to justify this notion'). The range of structures is limited, with a reliance on simple sentences and some unsuccessful attempts at complex ones. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage and capitalisation. To reach a higher band, you must focus on mastering basic sentence construction, verb tenses, and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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