Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-25
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)
Nowadays, an increasing number of people can choose to be self-employed rather than work in a large company. This trend has become common due to changing patterns of work and advanced technology. The self-employed have many advantages; it also comes with some drawbacks.
On the one hand, people choose self-employment because it offers a lot of independence; individuals can make their own decisions, set their schedule, and work according to their mood. Modern technology and the internet can help people to start their own business; most people can work like a freelancer at their home. For example, photographers, designers, programmers, and people who start their own online business can work on their own without an employer at a company. Another is that it can offer high earning potential. Unlike salaries from an employer can start their own business can earn a lot of money without a fixed wage like an employer at a company. A person how have a successful business can earn a lot of money. It can increase the risk, and people wish to become employers. However, being self-employed can have many disadvantages and can create a lot of responsibilities and workload. People can face a lot of difficulties, like the financial difficulties a businessman can face, periods of little money, or no money, especially if their business has been running slowly. In contrast, an employee can get his salary without worrying about any loss. And there is no pension service for the businessman.
In conclusion, the self-employed can have a lot of flexibility in their work because they can work according to their mood.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the reasons why people choose self-employment, such as independence and flexibility, and the disadvantages, including financial instability and lack of benefits like a pension. The position is generally clear throughout the text, and relevant examples are provided, such as photographers and designers. However, some ideas are a bit underdeveloped or repetitive, particularly the explanation regarding earning potential and financial risks. While the student attempts to explore both prompt requirements, the elaboration in certain sections remains somewhat superficial, preventing it from reaching a higher band. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, fitting the criteria for Band 6.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear signals for transitions, such as 'On the one hand' and 'In conclusion'. Paragraphing is used to separate different aspects of the prompt, although the main body paragraph is quite dense and could have been split into two for better visual and logical separation. Cohesive devices are occasionally mechanical or repetitive, as seen with phrases like 'a lot of' and 'a lot of money'. Referencing is generally clear, but some transitions between sentences within the body paragraph feel slightly abrupt. Overall, the organisational structure is logical enough to ensure clear progression, aligning well with a Band 6 descriptor.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'self-employed', 'freelancer', 'earning potential', and 'pension service'. However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, the phrase 'Unlike salaries from an employer can start their own business' is confused grammatically and lexically. Additionally, there is heavy reliance on basic modifiers like 'a lot of' instead of more precise academic vocabulary. Spelling is generally accurate, but vocabulary constraints and occasional awkward phrasing mean the lexical resource sits comfortably at Band 5.5, which rounds to 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, such as 'Although being self-employed can have many disadvantages...' and relative clauses like 'people who start their own online business'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward clause structures that occasionally impede comprehension, particularly in sentences like 'Unlike salaries from an employer can start their own business can earn a lot of money' and 'A person how have a successful business'. Punctuation is mostly functional, but control over complex grammar is inconsistent. These frequent errors place the grammar performance in the Band 5 category.
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