Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-04

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)

Some people love to do experiments in their daily lives like trying a new recipe or dish and going to new place, while some prefer to do what they are doing on a regular basis. In this essay I will discuss both views and explain why trying to new things is better.

People who believe that familiar things often feel more comfortable and safe think that they do not need to worry about the taste or atmosphere as they already tried it . For example , having vacations at same place as previous give people more comfort and joy rather than spending half of the time to explore the things. Hence, it is considered less stressful than doing something different.

On the other hand, people including me trust that doing new things helps people to gain valuable experience because visiting new places allow people to learn about different cultures, traditions and customs. For instance, travelling to another country can help people to understand their way of living. Trying different foods can also introduce people to new flavours and healthy ingredients. In addition, new experiences can help people become more confident and open-minded.

To conclude, although trying new things is difficult for some people as it needs more efforts and time but , trying new things or destinations gives great opportunity enhance knowledge. So, i believe that t

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the response is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a full summary of the argument. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat generic and would benefit from more specific, detailed examples to reach a higher band. Because the response is under-length and the conclusion is unfinished, the task is not fully satisfied.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each viewpoint, and a concluding attempt. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'For instance', and 'In addition' are used to link ideas. However, the progression is interrupted by the abrupt ending of the text. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow is somewhat mechanical due to the limited length and the incomplete final sentence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'do experiments in their daily lives' and 'do what they are doing' are somewhat repetitive and imprecise. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'open-minded' and 'valuable experience', but the range remains limited. To improve, you should focus on using more sophisticated collocations and avoiding basic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'trying to new things' (should be 'trying new things'), 'at same place' (should be 'at the same place'), and 'needs more efforts' (should be 'requires more effort'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around commas. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score.

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

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