Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05
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)
Nowadays, Some individuals believe that, 21st century is the best time to live historically. In this essay, I will shed some lights on it and give my opinion on it. I will also describe, if there is another time in history would be interesting to settle in.
Globally, people believe that the time we have right now is the finest time ever someone can get to live and In my view, It is true at a larger extent. To support this, These days we have all kind of facilities available with the help of internet, artificial intelligence, science, and technology. For instance, today we are using so many things which were not even imagined by our previous generation, but with help of these technology our life became so easy to live in. In my perspective, this is the perfect time to live a life ever. There are multiple reasons behind this view, for example, now we have the best following thing such as, transportation, communication, clothing options, food options and overall life style.
On the other hand, If I ever had chance to pick one of the time which would be interesting to live in, I would select 19th century. According to the history, that was the richest society ever lived and dominated economically. That time everyone was living their lives without any financial pressure with their loved ones.
To Sum up, In my opinion I believe that nowadays we have the best time to live the life in best manners however, the ancient time was the chillest
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the opinion on the current era and the choice of a historical period. However, the development of ideas is limited. While you mention technology as a reason for the current era being the best, the explanation is repetitive and lacks specific, well-supported examples. The second part regarding the 19th century is underdeveloped; the claim that everyone lived without financial pressure is a significant historical overgeneralization that lacks supporting evidence. To improve, ensure that each main point is supported by a clear, logical explanation or a concrete example rather than broad, unsupported statements.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'To support this, These days...' and 'In my perspective, this is the perfect time...' show a lack of smooth transitions between sentences. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the concluding paragraph is abrupt and fails to effectively summarize the main points. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'nonetheless') would help create a more logical flow between ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on simple, repetitive phrases such as 'best time to live' and 'life is easy'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'shed some lights on it' (should be 'shed some light') and 'the chillest' (which is too informal for an IELTS essay). To achieve a higher score, focus on using more academic vocabulary and precise collocations to express your ideas more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede readability. Issues include incorrect article usage (e.g., '21st century', 'the 19th century'), subject-verb agreement, and unnecessary capitalization (e.g., 'Some', 'In', 'These'). Additionally, the punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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