Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-04

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 6.5)

In many countries, life expectancy has increased significantly because of advances in healthcare, nutrition, and living standards. As a result, the proportion of elderly people is growing. Although this trend creates several challenges for governments, I believe the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages.

One major disadvantage is the increasing financial pressure on governments. As the number of retired people rises, governments must spend more on pensions, healthcare, and social welfare programs. At the same time, there are fewer working age people paying taxes to support these services. This situation can slow economic growth and create labor shortages in important sectors such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing. For example, Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world and continues to face workforce shortages despite encouraging older people to remain employed.

On the other hand, an aging population also offers several benefits. Older people possess valuable knowledge, skills, and life experience that can benefit society. Many continue working as consultants, teachers, or mentors, helping younger generations develop professionally and personally. In addition, grandparents often provide childcare for their families, allowing parents to focus on their careers and reducing childcare expenses. Many elderly people also participate in volunteer work, supporting charities and local communities.

Despite these advantages, they are not sufficient to overcome the economic and social challenges caused by an aging population. Rising healthcare costs, increased pension obligations, and a shrinking workforce place a heavy burden on national economies. Governments may need to increase taxes or raise the retirement age to manage these problems, which can create further public dissatisfaction.

In my opinion, while older people make valuable contributions to society, the disadvantages of an aging population are greater overall. Therefore, governments should develop policies that encourage higher employment, support families, and improve healthcare efficiency to address this growing issue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it consistently throughout the essay. The arguments regarding economic pressure and the benefits of an aging population are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of Japan. The ideas are extended logically, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your main points. To reach a higher band, you could further elaborate on the 'social' challenges beyond just the economic ones to provide a more nuanced exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the disadvantages and advantages is handled smoothly using cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'Despite these advantages'. The use of referencing is accurate, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The flow of information is natural, and the relationship between ideas is always clear. The essay demonstrates a high level of control over cohesive devices, making the text easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'financial pressure', 'social welfare programs', and 'workforce shortages' are used accurately and appropriately in context. There is a good attempt to use less common items, and the word choice is generally natural. While the vocabulary is effective and conveys your meaning clearly, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions could elevate the response to a higher band. Overall, the lexical range is more than adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional-like constructions and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'Although this trend creates...', 'while older people make...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you could aim for even greater structural variety, perhaps by incorporating more advanced passive constructions or inverted sentence structures to demonstrate a wider range of grammatical flexibility.

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