Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27
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)
Today, it is the contemporary era that has advancement in every field. Many individuals argue that present time is the perfect time to live in as compared to past. I will show my perspective and past interesting time in subsequent paragraphs.
To commence with the opinion of an individuals who said current time is the perfect time. First of all, an advancement in technology is at peak which makes people life easier. All the facilities aids them convenient to connect with others. For instance, persons will talk with their near and dear ones at their earliest convenience with the use of applications such as whatsapp, facebook and many more. It leads to feel connected with their loved ones. Moreover, they have so many new devices that helps the individuals in their household works. It includes microwave and dishwasher. These appliances assist them to save time and energy.
People who born 50 decades ago, they saw numerous change in the world. As there is change in phones from telephones to cellphone and also include the features in phones such as touchscreen and digital camera but these were not exist in past. However, people still prefer to live in time because of love and no expectations from others. Lastly, those people who has age around 55-60. They are more active and have positive attitude towards relations.
In conclusion, I opine that today, people are more materialistic as compared to ancient times. They value more about things than their relations so I believe that 90's era was the best.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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, but the development is uneven. While you discuss the advantages of the current era, the second part regarding an interesting historical period is underdeveloped. You mention the '90s' in the conclusion, but this is not supported with reasons or examples as required by the task. The position is clear, but the lack of depth in the second half of the essay prevents a higher score. To improve, ensure that each part of the prompt receives equal attention and that your ideas are fully supported with specific, relevant examples rather than just stating a preference.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'To commence with the opinion of an individuals who said...' and 'People who born 50 decades ago'. The logical progression between sentences is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where the transition from technological change to the personality of older generations feels abrupt. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'advancement in technology is at peak' and '50 decades ago' (which is mathematically incorrect). You rely on basic vocabulary and struggle with collocations. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'technological innovation', 'societal shifts', or 'nostalgia', and ensure that you use these terms in the correct context to convey 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 grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('an individuals', 'those people who has age'), tense errors ('these were not exist'), and awkward sentence construction ('it leads to feel connected'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors demonstrate a lack of control over more complex structures. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy, such as pluralisation and verb forms, will help you build a stronger foundation for more complex writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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