Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-16

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)

People often draw comparisons between the quality of life spent across different timelines. It is often argued that in comparison to our ancestors, we are currently living in the best era. In this essay, I will explain why I agree with this belief and also describe a fascinating historical era, the 80s.

We are currently living in a time where constant, rapid technological developments are taking place. We witnessed the concept of Artificial Intelligence actually take an effective form. This tool helps people from every walk of life and can be calibrated as per individuals personal needs. For example, back in the old days in order to learn a new skill, individuals would require to enroll in expensive physical classes. However, this is not the case now. AI can be effectively used to to learn any new skill from the comfort of home, without any additional cost. As a result, we are now finding it easier to develop new skills and use our time more effectively, helping us achieve our academic, professional and personal goals rather easily.

On the other hand, the 80s were also an interesting time to be in. During that era, the entertainment industry was thriving. Pop music was newly introduced and the concept of making short preview videos, videos, gave rise to filming of proper music videos. There was so much originality in the entertainment industry during those days. If you observe, most of the popular music that is now being re-made is in fact from the 80s. Makes you wonder of how talented people were back then to produce such versatile unique entertainment content with limited resources. Additionally, the fashion industry was also in its boom. The sparkly sequin based garments were released specifically for use in pop music videos to complement the singers new upbeat style of music.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt, giving a clear opinion on why this is the best time in history to be alive while also discussing another interesting era, the 1980s. The writer states their position clearly in the introduction and develops it with relevant explanations, such as the role of Artificial Intelligence in modern skill acquisition. The second body paragraph explores the entertainment and fashion industries of the 1980s to address the second question. While the development of ideas is slightly more descriptive than deeply analytical, all parts of the prompt are well-covered, meeting the Band 7 requirements for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction, modern technological advantages, and the historical era of the 1980s. Cohesive devices such as 'For example', 'However', 'As a result', and 'Additionally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the text is easy to follow. Although referencing and linking are generally clear, occasional slight abruptness in transitioning between ideas prevents the essay from reaching higher levels of cohesion, solidly placing it at Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task with some flexibility and precision, using terms such as 'calibrated', 'thriving', 'originality', and 'versatile unique entertainment content'. There are occasional awkward expressions or minor word-choice inaccuracies, such as 'quality of life spent' instead of 'quality of life experienced' and 'videos, videos' due to a repetition slip. However, less common lexical items are attempted with adequate control, and the vocabulary allows the message to be communicated clearly, which aligns well with the Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors. A score of 6.5 accurately reflects this balance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses. There are several instances of good grammatical control, such as 'We are currently living in a time where constant, rapid technological developments are taking place.' However, a few grammatical errors are present, including 'individuals would require to enroll' instead of 'would be required to enrol' and a missing apostrophe in 'singers new upbeat style'. There are also minor punctuation slips, such as comma splices and missing commas around introductory phrases. These errors do not impede communication, matching the Band 6.5 descriptors.

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