Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-08-21

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)

The increased life expectancy in some countries has been a topic of discussion. While many think aging population is beneficial for a society because of their experience, I believe they cause problems to governments as they reduce diverse participation and fresh ideas from the younger generation.

On the one hand, the experience of elderly population benefits the society is many aspects. Their knowledge works as a guidance in solving problems as they must have dealt with such patterns previously. In corporate firms, for example, most leaders and senior managements are elderly as they have great tenure in a firm with enormous knowledge about specific sector they work in. As a result, it creates a sense trust that if they are suggesting something it will work. Hence, it is evident that societies get most out of their presence without much problem.

On the other hand, it has some disadvantages as well. Older generation creates hindrance in the flow of new ideas and equal participation from younger generation. As most of the business and job sectors are mostly occupied with elderly professionals, younger people struggle to find equal platforms and treatment. In many cases, they are expected to have experience because they are constantly competing with the experienced people, making opportunities narrower to young generation. Moreover, young people can come with new ideas and endeavors that are required for the present fast-paced world, helping government with fresh initiatives and change management accordingly. However, aging population blocks this opportunity in most cases creating lost opportunities for the states. For instance, in Japan, most company's senior roles are handled by elderly generation for a long time, leaving younger people in an unequal position which reduces change for the government.

In conclusion, although aging population helps the society with their high level of knowledge and expertise, they can be problematic as they reduce new idea generation and resist change from the younger population, hampering government in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You have identified both the benefits (experience/guidance) and the drawbacks (lack of innovation/stagnation) of an aging population. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of corporate leadership and the specific reference to Japan. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is more balanced; the argument regarding the disadvantages is slightly more detailed than the advantages. Additionally, ensure that the link between an aging population and government-specific problems is more explicitly articulated, as the prompt asks specifically about the impact on governments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' 'As a result,' and 'Moreover' to guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'they' in the introduction, which could be clearer. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would help elevate this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'life expectancy,' 'tenure,' 'hindrance,' and 'change management.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'creates a sense trust' (should be 'sense of trust') and 'societies get most out of their presence' (should be 'get the most'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Attempting to use more precise collocations and academic phrasing would strengthen this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'aging population' often requires an article ('an aging population'), and there are issues with pluralization and subject-verb agreement, such as 'most company's senior roles' (should be 'companies''). Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'they cause problems to governments as they reduce diverse participation.' Despite these errors, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage, plural forms, and ensuring complex sentences are constructed with greater accuracy.

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