Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that now is the best time in history to be living.

What is your opinion about this?

What other time in history would be interesting to live in?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Many people believe that now is the best time in history to be living. I completely agree with this view.

There are several reasons why I hold this view. The predominant reason is a modern technology. Technology has become so advanced that we are relying on it for our everyday tasks. For example, we not only order fast-food but also do our monthly shopping online. Moreover, we avoid visiting bank just by using online banking platforms. Another reason is employment opportunities. This is because job postings have been increased from past few years which is advantageous for youth. Lastly, exceptional healthcare and advanced education are also significant advantages of modern life.

Similarly, there was also a time in a history where human life was not only easy but also interesting. That time was in1990 where it was beginning of modern era. People were happy because they were introduced to latest technologies and mobile phones. In addition, there was less pollution and better food quality.

To conclude, modern time is so comfortable for the people because it fulfills their needs however, the starting of modern time was also appealing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is clear from the opening: you agree that the present is the best time to live. You give relevant reasons, including technology, employment, healthcare and education, and you also identify the 1990s as another interesting period. However, the response addresses the task only partially because the reasons are mostly listed rather than explained or supported with specific examples. The discussion of the 1990s is especially brief, and the claim that life then was “not only easy but also interesting” is not clearly reconciled with your description of it as the beginning of the modern era. The response is 177 words, 73 short of the 250-word minimum; the 11 words copied from the prompt are not counted. Develop each main point and add relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph supporting your view, a paragraph about another historical period, and a conclusion. Sequencing is generally easy to follow, and signposts such as “Moreover,” “Another reason,” and “To conclude” help show how points relate. However, the progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical because ideas are introduced in a list without being connected through explanation or examples. “Similarly” does not clearly signal the shift from the present to the 1990s, and “That time” is a somewhat vague reference. The conclusion repeats the main points rather than drawing them together. Use clearer transitions between the two time periods and link each reason to its supporting detail.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including topic-related expressions such as “online banking platforms,” “employment opportunities,” and “healthcare.” There are also attempts at more formal wording, such as “predominant reason” and “significant advantages.” However, the range is limited, and some choices or combinations sound unnatural, including “a modern technology,” “job postings have been increased,” and “modern time.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and naturalness. Aim for more accurate collocations and vary repeated general terms such as “time,” “people,” and “advantages.” For example, “technology” can be used without an article when referring to the field generally, and “job vacancies have increased” is a more natural way to express the employment point.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple sentences and some longer structures, including “This is because…” and “because it fulfills their needs.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur in articles, verb forms, and sentence construction. Examples include “visiting bank” instead of “visiting a bank,” “in a history,” and “job postings have been increased,” where the verb form does not fit the intended meaning. The final sentence also needs clearer punctuation or a linking word before “however.” These errors are noticeable, although they do not generally prevent the reader from following your ideas. Practise checking articles and verb forms, and use a wider range of sentence patterns while keeping each sentence controlled.

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