Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-01
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)
The world has become more technologically sophisticated in today’s time. A substantial number of people opine that the present time is the fascinating to be living a life in the history. While i personally believe that today’s time is associated with significant benefits and potential risks as well. This essay will examine both pros and cons of living a live in this advanced world.
To begin with the benefits of being a part of the world which is flooded with advancements. Firstly, people are more accessible to the technology. Thay can keep themselves updated about thir surroundings and expand their knowledge. With the help of mobile phones, they can do approximately every single task within a short span of time. Moreover, the life has become more convenient compared to the past. Ealier, people didn’t have the opportunities and resources to meet their standards of living. However, they are more likely to get familiar with new cultures and traditions which helps them to understand the world and enhance their lifestyle.
Moving forward the downside effects of living in today’s world. The most significant impact is invasions of privacy. Revolution of technology is threatening the privacy and security of the identity such as data thefts, scams and fraudulent activities. Apart from that, people have become social isolated. They are unwilling to get connected with others and rather spending their time in their delusional world which results in lack of growth and development.
In conclusion, the life we all are living in today’s society is quite convenient and fast paced undoubtedly. The detrimental consequences should not be overlooked.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the first part of the prompt regarding whether today is the best time to live, but it fails to address the second part of the question: 'What other time in history would be interesting to live in?' This is a significant omission that prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. While the position on the current era is clear, the ideas regarding the pros and cons are somewhat generic and lack depth. To improve, ensure all parts of the prompt are identified and answered with equal attention, and provide more specific examples to support your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'To begin with the benefits...' and 'Moving forward the downside effects...'. Additionally, the transition between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. While there is a logical progression, the lack of a concluding thought that synthesises the entire argument (including the missing second part of the prompt) limits the overall coherence. Using a wider variety of linking words would improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The 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 or incorrect word choices, such as 'the fascinating to be living' (should be 'the most fascinating time'), 'accessible to the technology' (should be 'have access to technology'), and 'social isolated' (should be 'socially isolated'). The use of 'delusional world' is also slightly off-target in this context. To improve, focus on learning collocations and ensuring that adjectives and adverbs are used correctly to modify nouns and verbs.
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 distract the reader. Examples include 'living a live' (should be 'living a life'), 'Thay can keep themselves updated about thir surroundings' (spelling errors), and 'the life has become' (unnecessary article). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and spelling would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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