Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say that this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
Some people often argue that recruiters seeking personal information like marital status, interests, activities, and other information is helpful in understanding the candidate for the job role whereas others find it irrelevant and waste of time. My thoughts align with the fact that recruiters should only seek for information relevant to the job requirements.
Many hiring officials often ask personal information to the applicant to gain insights about various qualities of the applicant. Information like marital status and hobbies help the administrative team to understand the priorities and skill set of the candidate. Moreover, it gives them the snippets of the potential actions that a applicant would take in given circumstances. For example, a candidate
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under the required word count of 250 words, reaching only 115 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you introduce the topic and state a position, the development of ideas is severely curtailed. The second paragraph begins to explore the arguments for collecting personal information, but it is cut off mid-sentence, leaving the discussion incomplete. You failed to provide a full analysis of both views or complete your own opinion, which is a requirement of the prompt. To improve, you must ensure you fully develop each paragraph with supporting examples and reach the minimum length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response shows some basic logical organization, with an introduction and the start of a body paragraph. You use a few cohesive devices, such as 'whereas' and 'moreover', to link ideas. However, because the text is incomplete and ends abruptly, the overall progression of the argument is severely hindered. Paragraphing is present, but the lack of a conclusion and the unfinished nature of the second paragraph make it difficult to assess your ability to manage a full essay structure. To improve, focus on completing your thoughts and using a wider range of linking words to connect your arguments more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the task, with terms like 'recruiters', 'administrative team', and 'job requirements'. However, the range is limited due to the brevity of the text. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'seek for information' (the verb 'seek' does not require the preposition 'for' in this context). Because the response is so short, it is difficult to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary or the ability to use less common lexical items with precision. Expanding your writing will allow you to showcase a broader and more sophisticated range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'recruiters seeking personal information... is helpful' (subject-verb agreement error, as 'recruiters seeking...' acts as a plural concept or should be rephrased) and 'a applicant' (should be 'an applicant'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are noticeable. The limited length restricts the opportunity to demonstrate a wide range of complex grammatical structures. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct article usage, and aim to incorporate more varied sentence patterns once you have mastered the basics.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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