Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-30
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)
It has been argued by some individuals that present time is the best time for living as compared to the past. While I largely agree with this view, there was also another fascinating time in the history.
On the one hand, there are several advantages associated with living in the current period. One of the primary advantages is that it is convenient to live in this time as compared to other times. In explanation, due to the presence of contemporary technology, people can travel from one place to another place within a few hours with the help of transportation such as cars, trains and planes which was not feasible a few decades ago. Moreover, people can also use devices such as smartphones and computers to do conversation with others even if they are living far from them. In fact, they can also find any information around the world within few seconds with the help of the electronic devices.
On the other hand, the mid of the 20th century was one of the fascinating time to live in the world. Firstly, at that time, people mostly focused on basic necessities such as food, clothes and shelter. After fulfilling these needs, they had been living a comfortable and stress-free life as they did not think about buying other things. Secondly, due to a few number of industries, there was less pollution in the environment as compared to the present. Therefore, people had to face less health related issues such as cardiovascular diseases.
In conclusion, although living in the present time is the best time in history because of convenience, residing in the mid of the 20th century is also fascinating to live because of some factors such as less pollution and stress-free life.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| 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 current era and a historical alternative. The position is clear, and the ideas are relevant. However, the development is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of the 20th century focuses on basic needs and pollution, but could be more deeply explored to reach a higher band. The arguments are logical, but the supporting examples are a bit generic. To improve, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific detail or nuanced reasoning to demonstrate a more comprehensive engagement with the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', and 'Firstly' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there is occasional repetition of phrasing (e.g., 'time to live in'). The progression of ideas is generally smooth, but the flow could be enhanced by using a wider variety of linking words and more sophisticated referencing to connect sentences more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some topic-specific terms like 'contemporary technology' and 'cardiovascular diseases'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'do conversation' instead of 'have conversations' or 'engage in conversation'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise, academic vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. Avoid repeating basic words like 'time' and 'living' by using synonyms or rephrasing sentences to show a broader lexical range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'present time is the best time' (missing article 'the'), 'mid of the 20th century' (should be 'the mid-20th century'), and 'due to a few number of industries' (incorrect quantifier usage). There are also minor errors with prepositions and articles throughout. To improve, focus on refining your control over articles and quantifiers, and aim to use a wider variety of complex structures with greater precision to minimize these recurring errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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