Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-03

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)

The statement that the advantages of having an aging population outweigh the disadvantages has both sides to it and it remains to be seen whether the statement is justified.

It is evident that people survive longer now then in the past which has resulted in a more aged population on average. The reason for it is obvious mainly being the advancement of health care facilities which were not as effective in the past. There are quite a few advantages of having an aging population which would support the statement.

Firstly with more aging people, households are bigger. This allows for a bigger family which helps for example if both the wife and husband and working, then the grandparents can take upon their duties and take care of the child which reduces burden on parents.

Furthermore the more older a person, the more experience they have. This allows them to pass on the required knowledge, customs and traditions and also help in decision making as due to seeing more of life they have more knowledge which can lead to better decisions like in running the household.

A few elderly can provide economic support a swell by working, this reduces burden on the young couple or a single person earning whos the middle man also known as " the sandwiched generation". With elderly earning it allows for more budget and finance which can reduce burden and stress while helping the household. This helps the government as well to generate taxes.

Elderly can advice the youth which helps the society as they are deemed to give better advice.

However, there are quite a few drawbacks of having an aging population a swell. Firstly they can become a burden by not earning as an example. Majority of elderly don't earn and either rely on their children for financial support or the government for money. This can put further strain and damage the economy which will not be the betterment of society.

Aging people require more medical care and resources, with more aged people there will be more facilities used by them which can lead to shortage of facilities. Furthermore if their are more aged people then companies will suffer as they won't have much talented youth to recruit as employees. this can lead to less pay to employees, shutting down of businesses local and international ones and lead to higher unemployment rates which can damage society.

In conclusion despite the "many" advantages of having an aging population, the drawbacks are quite a lot like burden on the family and government, occupation of resources, lower tax returns and employment rates, and potentially taking opportunities of the youth. There are advantages like in some cases financial support, helping dual parent earning families, experience etc but the cons are far too great to ignore.

It is fair to say that the statement is incorrect and the advantages of having an aging population do not outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, providing both advantages and disadvantages of an aging population and clearly stating your position in the conclusion. Your ideas are relevant, such as the role of grandparents in childcare and the economic strain on healthcare. However, some points are under-developed; for instance, the claim that elderly people cause businesses to suffer due to a lack of 'talented youth' is a broad generalization that lacks specific evidence or logical depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that each argument is fully extended with clear reasoning or illustrative examples rather than listing several points briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. Additionally, there are instances where the flow between sentences is slightly disjointed, such as the transition between the benefits of experience and the economic contributions of the elderly. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'sandwiched generation' and 'healthcare facilities' appropriately. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'a swell' instead of 'as well', and 'if their are' instead of 'if there are'. The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and ensure that your spelling and word forms are accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the essay. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'if both the wife and husband and working'), incorrect pronoun usage, and punctuation errors. While these errors do not typically impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to sentence construction and proofread for basic grammatical slips, particularly with articles, prepositions, and verb forms.

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