Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-18
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes.
Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
In many urban areas, people are finding it difficult to spend quality time with their loved ones due to work more than 8 hours, and having a hectic schedule every day. This situation can lead to conflicts with family members; however, we can tackle this problem by spending quality time with them.
One major problem is that spending less time with family causes disputes and weaker relationships. People who are working long hours, and spending less time with their children feel emotionally disconnected and neglected..For instance, parents who come home late every day, never get a chance to sit with their young ones, and enjoy the quality time.Moreover, this feeling of being ignored may cause anxiety and stress which can affect mental health.
However, there are several effective ways to address these problems. Firstly, parents should avoid responding to emails and phone calls related to their workplace, and should engage with family conversations and activities to strong their bond with their loved ones. For example, in my friend's house there is a strict rule of not using their mobile phones while, having dinner because it is the only time when they are sitting together and enjoy the quality time. Secondly, they should try to communicate with their children, and make sure that they are feeling emotionally connected with family and there is no stress in the family environment.
To conclude, people should understand that it is necessary to maintain a balance between work and personal life. Parents should try not to work over time and keep aside this time for their families.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 3.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0
The response addresses a completely different prompt. The prompt asks whether it is possible to tell a lot about a person's culture and character from their choice of clothes. However, the student has written an essay about work-life balance, busy schedules, family conflicts, and how to spend quality time with loved ones. Because the essay is entirely off-topic and fails to address the prompt regarding clothing, culture, and character, it cannot achieve a satisfactory score for Task Achievement. According to the descriptors, responses that fail to address the task question must be penalised heavily in this criterion. Therefore, the task response is minimal and tangential to the actual prompt provided.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
Despite being off-topic, the essay demonstrates a recognisable structural framework. The writing is divided into distinct paragraphs, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'One major problem', 'However', 'Firstly', 'For example', and 'To conclude'. However, referencing and logical progression are sometimes affected by abrupt transitions, such as the double punctuation mark in 'neglected..For instance'. Overall, the text possesses a coherent overall arrangement even though the core content does not match the prompt requirements.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms related to work and family life, such as 'urban areas', 'hectic schedule', 'emotionally disconnected', and 'maintain a balance'. There are some word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as trying to 'strong their bond' instead of 'strengthen their bond', and a few punctuation errors near vocabulary items, but these do not impede overall communication. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey the writer's intended meaning, showing an attempt at less common phrases.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The writer attempts various complex structures, such as participial phrases ('people who are working long hours') and conditional-like constructions. However, there are notable grammatical errors throughout the text, including 'due to work more than 8 hours' (gerund/infinitive misuse), 'strong their bond' (form error), and missing articles or awkward phrasing like 'while, having dinner'. Punctuation errors also occur, such as double periods and unnecessary commas. These errors are frequent enough to cause some difficulty, though meaning remains generally understandable.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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