Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-14

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)

Change is the law of nature few people have open mindset and always willing to try new things however, half of the society is orthodox and willing to stick to their choices. In my opinion the section of society which is always willing to try new things have better lifestyle.

first and foremost , The side of society which prefer to do same things always enjoy there options and have fixed mindset. For example, most of people do not try different dish because they think it is not worth as well as not willing too give it a try . Secondly , sometimes , it becomes a comfort zone for some people as well as it depends on kind of society they are living in due to which they never want to risk their choices or decisions.

On the other hand , human choices cannot be same as of which the half segment of society loves to enjoy different things . For instance , the study shows that the 80 percent of youngster who study in western nations are always introvert and willing to do new things in comparison to other nations. However, another main reason is social bounding , the individuals who have a good circle will always experience diverse things .

For examples, the teenagers trying different food challenge or different sports challenges.

Therefore, In conclusion the society is made up of diverse kind of human personalities and everyone is different. The people who are willing to take risk always try different career , lifestyle and enjoy their life whereas other people are adamant and prefer to stay in their comfort zone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why people prefer familiarity is brief and relies on generalisations rather than well-supported arguments. Similarly, the point about 'western nations' and 'introverts' is not clearly linked to the prompt's focus on trying new things versus familiarity. While the task is addressed, the supporting evidence lacks depth and clarity, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure that each paragraph contains a clear topic sentence followed by a detailed explanation and a concrete example.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression of ideas is often disjointed. While cohesive devices like 'first and foremost', 'on the other hand', and 'in conclusion' are used, they are sometimes applied mechanically or incorrectly (e.g., the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt). Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'the side of society which prefer to do same things', which lacks grammatical precision. The flow of ideas within paragraphs is hindered by awkward phrasing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the argument smoothly throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward word choices and incorrect collocations, such as 'social bounding' (likely meaning 'social bonding') and 'open mindset' (should be 'open-minded'). The repetition of basic vocabulary like 'things' and 'society' limits the sophistication of the writing. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety and occasional errors in word choice indicate a limited lexical range that does not consistently allow for precise expression of complex ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'have open mindset'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'the side of society which prefer'), and punctuation mistakes, such as the misuse of commas and capitalization. These errors are noticeable and occasionally cause the reader to pause, although they do not completely impede communication. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, before attempting more complex structures.

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

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