Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-04

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)

The unparalled significance of self-empolyment cannot be refuted because it has close relevance to our lives. There are two dimensions of the topic or to be clearer, there are two different point of views. Some people maintain that being independent employe is best option; however, other assert that working for a company is efficient. There might be several reasons which will be discuss in this essay.

First of all, before going to dilate the stance of the first kind of people according to their thinking and bent of mind, it would be advisable to say that none of the both have categorical viewpoints rather they have certain arguments only in favour of their stances. Those who belive that being self-employed is a great decision have certain reasons behind their assertion: Firstly, they enjoy to work on time in which they feel comfortable and do not have any strict boundaries or rules to follow. For instance, some people love to work at night beacuse it mitigates their stress level which get increased in the rush hours of a busy office day.Additionally, they do not have a specific timetable for their lunch breakes they can eat whenever they want. Majority of people hate to work under other person due to the fact they want independance to do their work.

Furthermore, despite all these conditions there are also many negative aspects of being independent. People who do not like to work in an organisation are deprived of many social activities and connections beacuse they have less interaction with employes working in offices or cabins. They lost the productivity of their work or limit them by cutting the contact with individuals of their field.

Having discussed both views, analyzing both school of thoughts in detail. I can safely reach a verdict that both of views have pros and cons but a moderate consideration leads me to a viable conclusion that being self-employed is much better than working in a company speacially for a person who loves to use his/her skills for earning in silence,peace and independance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses both questions: it gives reasons for choosing self-employment, such as flexible working hours and independence, and identifies reduced social contact as a disadvantage. The example of working at night helps illustrate the first point. However, the discussion is only partially developed: the disadvantages are limited to one main idea, and the effect on productivity is asserted rather than explained. The opening also introduces a contrast between self-employment and company work without establishing a clear position, while the conclusion’s claim that self-employment is “much better” is not fully supported by the preceding discussion. Develop each main reason with a clearer explanation or relevant example, and make your position consistent throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

There is an identifiable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on reasons, a paragraph on disadvantages, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “First of all,” “Furthermore,” and “Having discussed” show an attempt to guide the reader. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow. The first body paragraph begins with a long, indirect sentence about “the first kind of people” before reaching the relevant reasons, and the final paragraph starts with a sentence fragment: “Having discussed both views, analyzing both school of thoughts in detail.” Some transitions also connect ideas mechanically rather than clarifying their relationship. Use direct topic sentences, keep each paragraph focused on one aspect, and ensure references such as “they” have clear antecedents.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response attempts a range of vocabulary, including “strict boundaries,” “interaction,” “productivity,” and “independence,” and the main topic remains understandable. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, as in “unparalled,” “employe,” “belive,” and “speacially.” Several phrases are unnatural or obscure, including “dilate the stance,” “certain arguments only in favour of their stances,” and “earning in silence.” These choices sometimes make the reader work to infer the intended meaning. Prefer familiar, accurate collocations over elaborate wording, and check spelling carefully. For example, “enjoy to work on time” could be expressed as “enjoy choosing their working hours,” which is both clearer and more natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer attempts complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “which,” and “who,” and some sentence meanings are clear. However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur across the response. Examples include “there are two different point of views” (number agreement), “other assert” (subject–verb agreement), and “there are also many negative aspects” following the awkward construction “despite all these conditions.” The sentence “Having discussed both views, analyzing both school of thoughts in detail” is incomplete, and punctuation is missing after “day.” Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention. Build accuracy with shorter, complete sentences first, then add subordinate clauses; proofread for agreement, plural forms, and complete sentence structure.

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