Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays, many medical research projects are funded by private companies. In your opinion, do you think that research should be carried by private companies, individuals or government?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Many multinational organisations are participating in medical research projects, and they spend a lot of money in those projects. I believe private companies put accurate efforts and give contribution to the economy than the government.

Private firms have enough contacts and knowledge of employee market to deal with any project. They can hire required talented individuals for the execution of the research, whereas the government has to spend more on hiring people first without knowledge of research area. For example, corporate companies have access to the network of required experts. As a results, they have not much responsibilities out of the research area, while the government has to focus on solving the problems of citizens too.

Private organisations offer a great amount of pay for the requirement compared to the government as companies have a dedicated budget for medical research, and therefore, they end up creating a lot of jobs required for research. For example, microsoft offers around 45 lakhs of annual package just for junior positions. Thus, companies provide contribution in economy by hiring telented staff, while the government cannot provide higher packages to the scientists as it has to spend based on the priority of other areas such as education and defence.

In my opinion, medical research should be maintained by the private firms as they have higher budget and the experience of hiring

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you clearly state your position that private companies should fund medical research, the arguments are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. You focus heavily on the economic benefits of hiring, but you do not fully explore the potential drawbacks of private funding, such as the risk of profit-driven research neglecting public health needs. To improve, you must ensure you reach the word count and provide a more balanced, comprehensive discussion that addresses the prompt's requirement to consider why other entities (government or individuals) might or might not be suitable.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices like 'whereas', 'for example', and 'thus' to link your points. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'As a results'. The transition between the second and third paragraphs is functional, but the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence, which disrupts the overall coherence and leaves the conclusion incomplete. To improve, ensure that your paragraphs are fully developed and that you use a wider variety of linking words to create a smoother, more professional flow between your arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'multinational organisations' and 'execution of the research', but there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'put accurate efforts' and 'employee market'. Additionally, the reference to '45 lakhs' is culturally specific and might not be universally understood in an international IELTS context. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic vocabulary, and avoid informal or overly specific local terminology that may hinder clarity for a global audience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. For example, 'give contribution to the economy than the government' should be 'contribute more to the economy than the government'. There are also issues with article usage ('the' government vs. government) and pluralization ('As a results'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles to improve your accuracy.

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

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