Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-04

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)

Some people believe that we are living in the best period in history. I largely agree with this view because modern life offers better healthcare, education, technology and more opportunities than ever before. However, there are some serious problems that should not be ignored.

One major reason why present may be the best time to live is the development of medicine. In the past days, people were suffering from critical disease such as cancer and they did not have any treatments or medications.But, there are number of therapy we have in current time. For instance, in old days, women delivered their child with normal delivery. If there were any complications then mother lose her baby life. Now, we have a cesarean section (C-section) in which a major surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through cuts in the abdomen and the uterus.

Technology is another biggest invention which has made everyday life much easier. The internet allows people to communicate instantly with others around the world. They can do a video call also. For example, Before number of human beings were often write letters to their loved ones, and it was time consuming and not reliable. As now, we have an internet, mobile phones, computers etcetera by which we can call in seconds. Nevertheless, modern society has its disadvantages. Climate change, pollution, political conflicts and economic inequality continue to affect millions of people.

In conclusion, although the modern world faces significant challenges, I believe that this is one of the best times in history to be alive.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, briefly offering an opinion on why the present is a great time to live and mentioning historical advancements in medicine and technology. However, the second part of the prompt regarding what other time in history would be interesting to live in is entirely missing, leaving the task only partially addressed. While the introduction mentions general challenges and the conclusion reiterates the main view, the ideas presented in the body paragraphs are limited and under-developed. For instance, the discussion on medical history and childbirth relies on very basic explanations rather than extended reasoning or fully explored examples. To reach a higher level, the writer must ensure every part of the prompt is answered fully and that all main ideas are extended and supported with relevant details.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the essay into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used logically to separate distinct topics, such as medicine and technology. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical. For example, transitional phrases like 'In the past days' and 'As now' feel unnatural, and referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'present may be the best time'. Cohesive devices are used, but they lack flexibility and smooth flow. To progress to the next level, the writer should use a wider variety of cohesive devices more naturally and ensure that paragraph transitions guide the reader seamlessly through the progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms like 'healthcare', 'cesarean section', 'climate change', and 'economic inequality'. There are clear attempts to use less common vocabulary, though some inaccuracies occur in word choice and collocation, such as 'In the past days' instead of 'In the past' or 'In former times', and 'mother lose her baby life'. Spelling and word-choice errors are present, such as 'critical disease' instead of 'critical diseases', but these do not impede communication. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to demonstrate greater precision in word choice and collocation, and reduce lexical errors when attempting more sophisticated vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over basic structures. However, there is a limited range of complex structures attempted, and these are often accompanied by errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples of errors include subject-verb agreement and tense issues, such as 'One major reason why present may be', 'people were suffering... and they did not have', and 'Before number of human beings were often write letters'. Despite these frequent minor inaccuracies, the sentences rarely impede overall communication. To move up to the next band, the writer must produce a higher frequency of error-free sentences using a wider variety of complex grammatical structures with accurate control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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