Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-03

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 7.5)

Nowadays, people are living longer than ever before, which has resulted in a growing proportion of elderly people in many countries. Although an ageing population can create certain challenges for governments, I believe that its advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

One major advantage of having a larger elderly population is the experience and knowledge that older people can contribute to society. Many elderly people have spent decades working in different professions and can therefore provide valuable advice to younger generations. They can also play an important role within families by helping to care for grandchildren and passing on cultural traditions and life experience. Furthermore, older people who remain healthy may continue working or participating in community activities, allowing them to contribute to society rather than simply depending on others.

On the other hand, an ageing population can place considerable pressure on governments. Older people generally require more healthcare services, including regular medical treatment and long-term care, which can increase public expenditure. In addition, governments may need to spend more money on pensions and other social-support programmes. A growing elderly population can also mean a smaller proportion of working-age people, potentially reducing the size of the workforce and increasing the financial burden on younger taxpayers.

Nevertheless, these disadvantages can be reduced through effective government policies. For example, governments can encourage older people who are able and willing to work to remain economically active for longer. They can also invest in preventive healthcare and community programmes that help elderly citizens maintain their independence. More importantly, the knowledge, experience and family support provided by older people are difficult to measure financially but can be highly valuable to society.

In conclusion, although an ageing population can increase pressure on healthcare systems, pensions and the workforce, I believe the benefits are greater. Older people can make significant contributions through their experience, knowledge and involvement in family and community life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, with the first body paragraph focusing on the social and familial contributions of the elderly, and the second addressing the economic challenges. You effectively balance these points by suggesting policy solutions in the third body paragraph, which strengthens your argument. The conclusion provides a clear summary of your stance. To reach the highest band, you could further extend your examples by briefly mentioning a specific country or a real-world policy to add more depth to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the advantages and disadvantages is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'Nevertheless', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the response. Referencing is consistent, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive usage. The structure is well-managed, ensuring that the argument flows naturally from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic essay. Phrases like 'growing proportion', 'economically active', and 'financial burden' are used accurately and naturally. You show an ability to use less common lexical items, such as 'preventive healthcare' and 'social-support programmes', which adds precision to your writing. The word choice is consistently appropriate for the topic, and there are no spelling errors. While the vocabulary is strong and precise, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic academic phrases could elevate the response further toward the highest band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good range of complex structures, including conditional-like reasoning ('older people who remain healthy may continue...') and subordinate clauses ('although an ageing population can create...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively to convey your ideas. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you could experiment with more varied sentence beginnings or more complex passive constructions to demonstrate even greater flexibility in your grammatical range.

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