Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

Student answer (Band 5.5)

This development presents both opportunities and challenges that parents and teachers should motivate children that they can do anything if they work hard .I think it has both advantages and disadvantages .

Perhaps the most significant benefit is that motivation and support helps to children work hard and achieve their goal . Firstly, when children gets support they can work hard and don't give up .For example, if a children cannot solve mathematics equation they should practice again and again ,instead of giving up . Moreover , children should work hard for their goals and parents or teachers should motivate their children and students , so they focus on their careers and also teach them about failure.

Despite these merits ,several drawbacks cannot be overlooked that if this message has a lot of advantages so it also has some drawbacks . Firstly, teachers should teach their students about failure so whenever they face downfall so they don't feel demotivated because every person does not have same abilities and opportunities . Then they easily give up on their dreams . In addition to it , every student should understand this everyone has a weaknesses so when they face difficulties so they should face this problem instead of giving up .

Overall, the positive implication appear to surpass the negative ones because everyone face difficulties so they should prepare herself for facing problems and failures. And ,I think every person face failure once in her life even in studies , job or love . Another thing is that motivation is also important to encourage ourself to achieve our dreams.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both the advantages and disadvantages of the prompt, though the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks depth. While you mention that children should be taught about failure, the explanation of why this is a disadvantage or a necessary counter-balance is slightly muddled. The position is clear, but the arguments could be more effectively extended with specific examples or more logical reasoning. For instance, the link between 'everyone does not have same abilities' and the potential for demotivation is a good point, but it needs clearer articulation to fully satisfy the requirements for a higher band.

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 repetitive (e.g., 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'In addition to it'). There are also issues with referencing; for example, the phrase 'if this message has a lot of advantages so it also has some drawbacks' is syntactically awkward and disrupts the flow. The progression of ideas is sometimes hindered by these structural weaknesses, making the transition between points feel forced rather than natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use simple terms like 'work hard', 'give up', and 'problems'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. Additionally, there are some word choice errors, such as 'downfall' (which usually refers to a collapse of a system or person) instead of 'failure' or 'setback'. To improve, you should aim to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary related to education and personal development.

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., 'children gets support', 'everyone face difficulties'), incorrect pronoun usage (e.g., 'prepare herself'), and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.

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