Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-30
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)
Few people believe that today is the best time in history to be living but I strongly emphasize that the ancient times like kings dynasty and freedom fighters time are the best times to live.
Firstly, let's discuss about the Kings dynasty. It was a very good time to live because there was only one ruler and people used to obey his words and lived happily ever after. Nowadays, we have democratic rule in our country but every individual is not enjoying the same benefits as the other. This kind of partiality is not seen in King's rule. For example, there are great rulers like Shri Krishna Devaraya who ruled their people equally with justice and kindness.
Secondly, the best time to live is freedom fighters time because every individual fought for our country and showed act of bravery. In the current time, we don't see this kind of patriotism in every individual. It is only observed in few people who dedicate their lives to the country. For instance, there were many freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose who dedicated their lives to the Country 's welfare.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that Kings dynasty and freedom fighters time are the best times to live because of their impartial justice and act of bravery and patriotism. The younger generations have to practice injustice and patriotism in their day to day lives so that we can make the current time as the best time to live. The elders along with leaders of the country should follow these things and inculcate them in Country's development.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You give a clear opinion that earlier periods were preferable and address both questions by naming the kings’ era and the freedom-fighters’ period. The examples of Krishna Devaraya and Subhash Chandra Bose make the response relevant. However, the reasons are asserted more than explained: claims that people “lived happily ever after” and that royal rule offered equal treatment are broad and unsupported, while the freedom-fighters’ era is described mainly through patriotism rather than what daily life would have been like. The final advice about improving the present is relevant but shifts attention away from explaining why these historical periods would be interesting to experience. Develop each reason with a specific, balanced explanation and example.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs signposted with “Firstly” and “Secondly,” and a conclusion. This makes the main line of argument easy to follow. Cohesion is sometimes mechanical, however, and the repeated framing of each paragraph as “the best time to live” does not create much progression between ideas. Some references are also unclear, such as “these things” in the conclusion, which could refer to justice, bravery, or patriotism. The conclusion introduces advice about younger generations and national leaders rather than simply drawing together the reasons already discussed. Use clearer links between claims and examples, and make references explicit to improve the flow.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “democratic rule,” “partiality,” “justice,” “bravery,” and “patriotism,” and the historical examples help make your meaning clear. However, the range is limited by repeated general words such as “best,” “time,” and “people,” and several phrases are unnatural or imprecise. For example, “Kings dynasty” and “freedom fighters time” do not express the historical periods naturally, while “showed act of bravery” is an awkward collocation. “Country 's welfare” also has an unnecessary space in the possessive. Build a more precise range for describing historical periods, political systems, and social conditions, and check common word partnerships.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast with “but” and a purpose clause beginning “so that.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “Few people believe … but I strongly emphasize” creates an awkwardly joined opening, and “there was only one ruler and people used to obey his words and lived happily” shifts between verb patterns. In “every individual is not enjoying the same benefits as the other,” the comparison is not formed clearly. The final sentence also has a long structure that makes its relationships harder to follow. Practise consistent verb forms, clear comparisons, and punctuation in longer sentences while retaining your attempts at complex structures.
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