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 tailored as per individual. For example, back in the old days in order to learn a new skill, individuals would have 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.

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 for its promotion, a unique style of music videos was developed. The concept of making short preview videos, gave rise to filming of proper short film style videos. There was so much originality and versatility 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.

In conclusion, we are currently living in the most favourable era. We are surrounded by technology that helps us advance and move forward by helping us upskill. The historical 80s is an interesting time from the past with memorable development in the media industry.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the two-part prompt. The essay clearly presents a position that the current era is the best due to technological advancements and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the writer selects a distinct and interesting historical era—the 1980s—to address the second question regarding an alternative time in history to live in. Ideas are supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as comparing the traditional cost of physical classes with modern AI-driven upskilling tools, and discussing the evolution of music videos in the 1980s. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay, demonstrating a well-developed response that satisfies all requirements of the task prompt efficiently.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving smoothly from the introduction to the discussion of the present era, the alternative historical era, and finally a succinct conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately to connect ideas, such as 'However, this is not the case now', 'As a result', and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is handled well, with logical breaks between the different points of discussion. While referencing and paragraph transitions are clear and easy to follow, slightly more varied cohesive referencing would elevate the flow to a higher band level, but overall cohesion is sufficiently managed.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary appropriate for a general task. Phrases like 'constant, rapid technological developments', 'every walk of life', and 'entertainment industry' show effective word choice and collocation. The writer also attempts some less common lexical items, such as 'versatility', 'favourable', and 'ancestors'. There are occasional slight inaccuracies or awkward phrasings, such as 'quality of life spent across different timelines' instead of 'lived across different eras', but these do not impede communication. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, reflecting a solid lexical resource that supports the delivery of the ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Sentences such as 'We are currently living in a time where constant, rapid technological developments are taking place' and 'For example, back in the old days in order to learn a new skill, individuals would have to enroll in expensive physical classes' demonstrate control over complex clauses. There are occasional grammatical minor slips, such as the double preposition in 'used to to learn', but these are rare. Punctuation is generally sound, and the majority of sentences are clear and error-free, ensuring that the grammatical framework successfully supports smooth communication throughout the essay.

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