Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-08

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 say that now is the best time in history to be living. In my opinion, it depends and varies from person to person. In addition to a person's personal preference, it also depends on the circumstances of a person. For example, for some people, the time of 1900s might be the best time for living. The reason could be anything such as high income, family union, etc. Therefore, it depends on how a person defines the best time, the ability of a person to do what he or she wants to do, and what makes a person happy enough to decide that this is the best time for living.

Furthermore, if I talk about a general approach, I would say that 'yes', now is the best time in history to be living. The reason is that technological advacements have made life much more convenient for example you have cars, ships, and airplanes to travel. Additionally, mordernisation has made the society much more liberal, therefore people can do what they want to do. There is freedom of speech and religion, and there is no racism based on gender, cast, or ethnicity. In fact, people are also free to choose their gender, regardless of their gender at birth. Humans by nature enjoy freedom and in todays time, humans are completely free to do what they want to do. I think this is what makes people say that now is the best time in history to be living.

Moreover, I think that it would be interesting to live in the era where there were no machines. On one hand, machines have made human life easier, but on the other hand the development in machines are putting the future of humans at risk. For example, the development of Artificial Intellegence can impact the demand of human skills and knowledge in the future. Another very good example is the development of robbots.

Therefore, I would conclude by saying that 'yes' now is the best time in history to be living, as life is much more interesting and convenient, however, at the same time, I would also say that living under constant threat from technological developments has also made this era less interesting to live in.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear overall view: you ultimately agree that the present is the best time, while acknowledging that this depends on individual circumstances. You also address the second question by choosing an era without machines and explaining concerns about AI and robots. However, the response only partly develops these points. The opening discussion of the 1900s is hypothetical and does not explain why that period would be best for particular people, while the chosen earlier era is not clearly identified or supported with a concrete example. The claim that people are “completely free” and that there is “no racism” is also too broad to be convincing. Develop each main reason with a specific, balanced example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an opening qualification, a paragraph supporting life today, a paragraph about an earlier era, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Moreover,” and “Therefore” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression is sometimes mechanical, and the first paragraph repeats the idea that the best time depends on personal circumstances without moving it forward. Connections between claims could also be clearer: the discussion of freedom, for instance, shifts quickly from speech and religion to gender choice. The paragraph about an era without machines introduces a contrast but does not explain how daily life in that period would be interesting. Use clearer topic sentences and develop each paragraph around one connected reason.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of relevant vocabulary, including “technological advancements,” “convenient,” “freedom of speech,” and “constant threat,” which helps communicate the main ideas. There are also attempts at more specific terms such as “Artificial Intelligence.” However, several spelling errors and imprecise or unnatural combinations reduce accuracy, including “advacements,” “mordernisation,” “cast,” “robboots,” and “the development in machines.” Some wording is repetitive, particularly “the best time for living” and “what they want to do,” and “family union” is unclear in this context. Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated phrases; proofreading spelling and choosing exact terms will make the argument easier to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including conditional and subordinate structures such as “For example, for some people…” and “The reason is that…” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical choices are inaccurate or awkward. For example, “the development in machines are putting” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “in todays time” needs a possessive apostrophe. The sentence beginning “The reason is that technological…” also needs clearer punctuation between the explanation and the examples. There is some control of longer sentences, but repeated patterns limit the range. Practise checking agreement, possessives, and punctuation, and use a wider variety of accurately formed complex sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.