Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-18

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 7.5)

Some people argue that the present time is the best in history so far. Although the Renaissance was one of the most interesting times in history, I agree that modern times are the best because it has the greatest amounts of convenience, freedom and advancements of all times.

There have been significant changes in lifestyle over different ages. The convenience and freedom we experience now were never available in the past. This is because of a change in people's thinking due to education and modernization. Nations have become democratic and citizens have freedom of speech, expression and religion. However, in the past people witnessed cruelty of rulers, restrictions on their freedom and compulsions to follow a specific religion. Furthermore, advances in science and technology have revolutionized almost all aspects of life. For example, medicinal inventions have increased longevity and reduced infant mortality significantly. Such breakthrough innovations have positively transformed our lives beyond imagination. Therefore, it can be inferred that now is the best time in history to be alive.

Nevertheless, if one has to choose from history, the Renaissance period would have been an interesting time to live in. It was a major cultural and historic period in Europe that marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity. The word 'Renaissance' means rebirth, and it started in the 14th century in Italy and spread across the rest of the Europe through the 17th century, reviving Ancient Greek and Roman art and literature. It spread the focus from religion to humanism, and promoted the idea of 'Renaissance man,' an individual who was skilled in arts, science and literature. Leonardo Da Vinci and Columbus are among the famous historic figures from that time.

In conclusion, while the Renaissance period was one of the most interesting times in history, I believe that the present time is the best to be living in because of the convenience, freedom and advancements it offers to mankind.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The student successfully addresses all parts of the two-part prompt. The introduction clearly states the writer's opinion regarding the present era being the best, while also introducing the alternative historical period (the Renaissance) in the second body paragraph. The arguments supporting the current era are well-developed, mentioning aspects such as democracy, freedom of speech, and technological advancements like increased longevity. Similarly, the choice of the Renaissance is explained with relevant historical details, such as the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and the focus on humanism. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay, meeting the Band 7 and approaching Band 8 criteria by providing clear extensions and well-supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the introduction outlines the thesis, the first body paragraph discusses why modern times are superior, the second body paragraph explores the Renaissance, and the conclusion summarises the main points effectively. Cohesive devices are used appropriately, such as 'Furthermore', 'Nevertheless', and 'In conclusion', ensuring smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and logically, with referencing remaining clear throughout the text, aligning well with the requirements for a Band 7.5 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for the task. Words and phrases such as 'significant changes', 'revolutionized', 'longevity', 'infant mortality', and 'transition from the Middle Ages to modernity' show a good grasp of less common lexical items. There are only occasional minor lapses, such as 'best time to be living in' instead of 'best time to be alive', but these do not impede communication. The use of historical terminology like 'humanism' and 'Renaissance man' further enhances the lexical score, placing this response firmly in the Band 7 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. Complex structures are deployed successfully, such as in conditional and concessive clauses ('Nevertheless, if one has to choose from history, the Renaissance period would have been...'). Punctuation and grammatical accuracy are generally high, with frequent error-free sentences. While there are a few minor awkwardness issues, such as 'because it has the greatest amounts' (subject-verb agreement/plurality mismatch), these errors are rare and do not interfere with the overall clarity of the message, matching the Band 7 descriptor.

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