Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-13
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people like to try new things, for example, places to visit and types of food. Other people prefer to keep doing things they are familiar with.
Discuss both these attitudes and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
In this modern era, some individuals prefer to explore new activities, while others prefer to do the familiar activities. his essay will shed light on both aspects and i personally believe that trying new things is more beneficial than doing same things again.
On the One hand, why people choose to do familiar things have a numerous number of reasons. First and foremost reason behind this phenomenon is that comfort and less stress, as some individuals are too busy and tired that they don't have a time to engage in new activities. Due to this, they choose same things to burst their stress level. Secondly, Health concerns are also the primary cause sometimes, which cause a hesitation of trying new cuisines. They believe if they will eat outside, they will fall them sick. Consequently, a substantial number of folks choose same places and activities.
On the other Hand, trying new things bring their own benefits which can't be overlooked. The primary cause that support my opinion is the personal growth that people feel after they try something new which helps to boost their confidence and string their problem solving skills. Not only this, But it also assist them to build new hobbies and interests and sometime they find their career through these activities.
To conclude, Although Doing same things repeatly has its own benefits, exploring new things benefits have more benefis. I beleive new things brings certain kind of confidence and adaptability among individuals.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the essay is slightly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the point about health concerns is mentioned but not fully explored with a concrete example. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on your points with more specific illustrations or personal anecdotes. The position is clear throughout, but the lack of length prevents a more comprehensive development of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand'. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'why people choose to do familiar things have a numerous number of reasons'. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a strong topic sentence would help improve the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of repetitive or slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'burst their stress level' (instead of 'relieve stress') and 'fall them sick' (which is grammatically incorrect). You attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary, but the range is limited. To improve, focus on learning collocations and more sophisticated synonyms to avoid repeating basic words like 'things' or 'activities' throughout the essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'the primary cause that support my opinion' (subject-verb agreement error), 'repeatly' (spelling), and 'new things benefits have more benefis' (syntax and spelling). While the meaning is generally clear, these errors are persistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct word forms, and proofreading for basic spelling mistakes. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will also help raise your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.