Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-19

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 6.0)

In several countries, the elderly people are living longer than past. Many argue that, a growing aging people will bring so many problems for government while some say that having them benefit the society in many ways. However, in my opinion the benefits of having elderly population outweigh the disadvantages.

Now-a-days, the elderly people are surviving longer than past. This is a positive sign for the society because having an older individual in home will help the younger people to make decisions better by their experience. For instance, if an adult who is running a house is in dilemma of how to spend and save money, then the elder person will eventually help them to cope up with the issue by addressing them where to spend precisely and how to save effectively. By this approach the adults gain useful knowledge and inputs from their elders.

In terms of benefitting society, the older ones act as glue to stick a family together. While many siblings now-a-days tend to separate and live in different places due to several circumstances having an elder person in this situation will not let them to live apart. Hence, the society will experience peace and harmony through such activities. As far as the families concerned about their elders there will be no problems for the government regarding them.

In conclusion, elders living longer in present is a good sign for society and should be encouraged. Hence, I believe the advantages of older population surviving longer will possibly outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the problems and benefits of an aging population, ultimately taking a clear position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the role of elders in financial decision-making and family cohesion, these points are not fully explored in the context of the 'problems for governments' mentioned in the prompt. The discussion remains quite narrow, focusing primarily on the family unit rather than the broader societal or economic implications (such as healthcare costs or pension burdens). To reach a higher band, you should provide more balanced and detailed arguments that address the specific challenges governments face alongside the social benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'For instance,' 'In terms of,' and 'Hence,' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'addressing them where to spend precisely.' The transition between the idea of family harmony and the government's role in the final sentence of the second body paragraph is abrupt and lacks a smooth logical connection. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a singular, well-developed focus would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'older ones,' 'good sign,' and 'so many problems.' There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'aging people' instead of 'aging population' and 'surviving longer than past' instead of 'living longer than in the past.' To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to demographics and social policy, and pay closer attention to natural collocations to ensure your writing sounds more academic and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Common issues include missing articles ('in dilemma,' 'in home'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing ('the elderly people are living longer than past'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with greater accuracy to demonstrate better control over your writing.

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

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