Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-16

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 day and age, many people are adventurous and travel friendly. Some people are fanatical about trying new things and visiting different places. Conversely, others believe that they should follow their normal routine. In my opinion, people should challenge themselves to try new things. This essay agrees with the former view.

The opponents believe that if they try new things, it will impact their lives. People who are used to do same kind of things are comfortable doing it. If they are asked to try some different things, they get uncomfortable. For example, my dad loves to eat at his favourite restaurant and gets irritated whenever someone asks him to eat at a different place.

The proponents of this view think that if a person try new things, they are more likely to be active. They are keen to visit different places and try new food. They are adventurous. These habits make them live longer. They tend to enjoy their lives with different types of activities and travelling. These things keep them mentally and physically strong as compared to others who follow their normal routine.

On balance, it is true to some extent that people are more comfortable with their same routine, and others enjoy being adventurous. I assert that the people who are more active and try new things are more likely to be happier in their lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both attitudes and state a clear preference for trying new things, so the response addresses the main parts of the prompt. The example about your father makes the familiar-routine viewpoint concrete. However, the reasons for the adventurous viewpoint—such as being “more likely to be active” and living longer—are asserted rather than explained or supported, and the conclusion mostly repeats your position. The response also contains 230 words, so it does not meet the required minimum of 250. Develop each side with a fuller explanation and a relevant example, and use the additional space to clarify why new experiences can benefit people without claiming unsupported outcomes such as longer life.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph for each attitude, and a concluding paragraph. The contrast marker “Conversely” helps signal the two positions, and “On balance” introduces the conclusion. However, progression within the paragraphs is sometimes limited: the paragraph supporting new experiences moves quickly from activity to travel, food, longevity, and mental and physical strength without showing how these points connect. The phrase “This essay agrees with the former view” is also an awkward reference to the position. Build clearer links between each claim and its explanation, and use pronouns or transitions whose references are unmistakable. This would make the organisation feel less like a sequence of separate assertions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “adventurous,” “routine,” “uncomfortable,” and “mentally and physically strong,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more emphatic wording, such as “fanatical,” but this is too strong for the intended meaning. Several phrases are unnatural or imprecise, including “travel friendly,” “same kind of things,” and “follow their normal routine.” Repetition of “try new things” and “different” also limits flexibility. Choose more natural collocations and vary the wording—for example, refer to seeking new experiences, exploring unfamiliar places, or maintaining familiar habits. More precise vocabulary would help express the contrast and your reasons more convincingly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple sentences and some longer structures, including conditional clauses such as “If they are asked to try some different things, they get uncomfortable.” Most sentences are understandable, but some errors in verb forms, agreement, and articles remain. For example, “People who are used to do” should use a gerund after “used to,” and “if a person try” needs subject–verb agreement. In “they are more likely to be active,” the shift from “a person” to “they” is possible in general usage, but keeping the subject consistent would improve control. The sentence “These habits make them live longer” is grammatically formed, though its claim needs support. Practise checking verb patterns and agreement, while continuing to use varied sentence structures.

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