Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-20
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 6.5)
A certain amount of people say now is the best time in history to be alive. I agree with this statement. This current time provides individuals with ease and increased life expectancy.
In this 21st century, technology has made our lives easier and made us more connected with our loved ones. Technology has reduced the physical and emotional burden most individuals suffered in the past. For example, the invention of dish washer has made washing dishes a lot easier for individuals. Busy parents no longer have to spend the day doing laundry for their children when the can just use a washing machine to sort the laundry out. A certain number of individuals can now stay connected with their family and friends who are not physically present. This can help reduce the emotional burden of missing a loved one.
This current time in history has also helped to increase the life expectancy of individuals. In the past, several medical conditions remain undiagnosed and lowers the life expectancy of an average individual. Medicine has advanced so much in this present day that diseases can be prevented and cured if diagnosed on time. Life expectancy has also improved due to research on better ways to purify our water and consume healthy meals. For example, in the 19th century, drinking water was obtained from rivers or streams without purification. This led to an outbreak of cholera. The cholera reduced the life expectancy of individuals. Currently, drinking water is purified before consumption and water borne diseases have greatly reduced.
This present time in history is the best time to live in as life is a lot easier and life expectancy is reduced. Although the 19th century would have been an interesting time to live in. This is due to how simple life was then.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the opinion on the current era and the alternative historical period. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the arguments regarding technology and medicine are relevant, the final paragraph regarding the 19th century is underdeveloped, lacking specific reasons or examples to explain why it would be an 'interesting' time to live in. To reach a higher band, ensure that both parts of the prompt receive balanced attention and depth of explanation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'In this 21st century', 'For example', and 'Although' are used to link ideas. However, there is some mechanical repetition of sentence starters, and the transition between the main argument and the final paragraph is abrupt. The concluding sentence is a fragment ('Although the 19th century would have been an interesting time to live in'), which disrupts the flow. Improving the variety of cohesive links and ensuring complete sentence structures would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'life expectancy', 'undiagnosed', and 'purification'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as the claim that 'life expectancy is reduced' in the conclusion, which contradicts the earlier argument. Additionally, the phrasing 'A certain amount of people' is slightly unnatural. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more precise collocations and avoiding contradictory statements would improve this score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'the invention of dish washer' lacks an article, 'when the can just use' contains a typo, and 'several medical conditions remain' shows inconsistent tense usage. The final paragraph contains a sentence fragment. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.