Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-07-28
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an aging population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people.
To what extent do the advantages of having an aging population outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
There has been an ongoing debate about whether, In many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an aging population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people.___________. Although some people argue that ____________, I am strongly of the opinion that ____________. This essay will explain why I hold this view.
The first and perhaps the most significant reason is that ____________. In other words, ____________. This means that ____________. A clear illustration of this is ____________. Therefore, it is evident that ____________.
Equally important is the fact that ____________. Furthermore, ____________. Owing to this, ____________. For example, ____________. As a consequence, ____________.
To conclude, despite the arguments put forward by those who support ____________, I firmly believe that ____________. Considering the long-term benefits, this is undoubtedly the most practical and sustainable approach.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it contains only 146 words. Furthermore, the essay is essentially a template consisting of placeholders (indicated by underscores) rather than actual content. Because the student has not provided arguments, examples, or a developed position, the task has not been addressed. The response does not engage with the prompt's core question regarding the advantages and disadvantages of an aging population. Consequently, the response is incomplete and lacks the necessary development to be assessed as a functional essay.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay structure follows a standard academic format with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, because the content consists of placeholders, there is no logical progression of ideas or meaningful development of arguments. While the use of cohesive devices like 'The first and perhaps the most significant reason' and 'Equally important' is technically correct in terms of placement, they serve no purpose without the supporting content. The paragraphing is appropriate for an essay, but the lack of actual information prevents a higher score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is limited to the functional language of the template itself, such as 'ongoing debate', 'strongly of the opinion', and 'practical and sustainable approach'. While these phrases are grammatically correct and appropriate for an academic essay, the range is extremely restricted because the student did not provide any subject-specific vocabulary related to the topic of aging populations, demographics, or government policy. There is no opportunity to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary or the ability to use less common lexical items.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The grammatical structures present in the template are accurate and demonstrate a good grasp of complex sentence construction, such as the use of 'Although some people argue that...' and 'despite the arguments put forward by those who support...'. Punctuation is generally correct. However, because the essay is incomplete and relies on a template, the range of structures is limited. The assessment is based solely on the functional language provided, which is error-free but insufficient to demonstrate a full range of grammatical competence.
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