Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-05

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)

people are living longer because of better healthcare, improved nutrition, and advances in medical technology. while an aging population can create some challenges for government, i believe that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks if older people remain active and healthy.

On the one hand, a larger elderly population increases government spending spending on healthcare and pensions. many older people require regular medical treatment and financial support after retirement. as a result government may need to spend more money on hospitals and social welfare. in addition, if fewer young people are workers, which can reduce economic growth.

On the second hand, Elderly people have valuable knowledge and life experience. many continue to work, volunteer, or guide younger generations. their advice can help young people make better decisions in both their careers and personal lives.

furthermore, grandparents often help take care of children, allowing parents to focus on their jobs. this support strengthens

family relationships and reduce childcare costs.

for example, in Japan, many retired people continue working parttime or volunteer in local communities. their experience benefits businesses and socially active.

in conclusion, although an aging population places financial pressure on governments, i believe the advantages are greater. thereforeroper planning and polices .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the challenges and benefits of an aging population. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the position is clear, the conclusion is incomplete and lacks a final sentence, leaving the argument underdeveloped. The points regarding economic growth and social benefits are relevant but lack sufficient elaboration or specific examples to reach a higher band. To improve, you must expand on your points with more detailed explanations and ensure the essay meets the minimum length requirement to allow for a full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Transitions like 'On the one hand' and 'On the second hand' (which should be 'On the other hand') are used, but the flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed. The conclusion is abrupt and lacks a proper closing statement, which affects the overall coherence of the piece. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, fully developed topic sentence would significantly enhance the logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms such as 'social welfare', 'pensions', and 'medical technology'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'socially active' used as an adjective for businesses. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise collocations and a wider range of academic vocabulary. Avoid repetitive phrasing and ensure that your word choices are contextually accurate to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar. For example, there are issues with capitalization at the start of sentences, missing articles, and subject-verb agreement errors, such as 'reduce childcare costs' instead of 'reduces'. Additionally, there are typos like 'theradoreroper'. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on proofreading your work to correct basic errors in sentence construction, capitalization, and verb forms to improve the overall accuracy of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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