Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-09-11
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 4.5)
The line chart illustrates the monthly percentage changes in the prices of three metals in 2014 compared with the previous month.
Overall, copper was the metal with the most stable pattern compared with others, while nickel experienced significant changes over the months.
In January, copper and nickel recorded changes of 2% and 6%, respectively, while zinc had the smallest change, at around 1%. In February, copper and nickel fell to approximately 1% and 4%, respectively, while zinc rose to 3%. In March, copper fell to just over 0.5%, while nickel more than halved to around 1% and zinc declined to 2%. In April, copper remained unchanged at around 0.5%, while nickel stayed at 1% and zinc fell to approximately 1.5%. In May, copper fell slightly below 0%, while nickel and zinc declined to around 0.5% and 1%, respectively. In June, nickel experienced the sharpest fall, reaching about -3%, while zinc dropped to -1% and copper remained unchanged.
From July to September, the three metals remained relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations. In October, nickel fell sharply to about -2%, while zinc dropped to -1% and copper to around 0.5%. In November, all three metals recovered, with nickel and zinc rising to approximately 1.5% and 1.5%, respectively, while copper remained at around 0.5%. In December, nickel did not face any changes, while zinc grew to 2%, and copper to about 1.3%.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 1.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 4.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0
The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for an essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of an aging population, but the student has written a report describing a line chart about metal prices. Consequently, the task has not been addressed at all. Furthermore, the response is under the 250-word minimum requirement. Because the content is entirely irrelevant to the prompt provided, it is impossible to award a score for task response, as the candidate has failed to engage with the specific question asked.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
Despite being off-topic, the text itself is coherent. It follows a logical progression, moving chronologically through the months of the year. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In January', 'In February', and 'From July to September' helps to structure the information clearly. Paragraphing is used, although the response is quite short. The ideas are sequenced logically, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. If the task had been a report on a graph, this would be a well-structured response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is appropriate for a report on data trends. The student uses terms like 'stable pattern', 'significant changes', 'recorded changes', 'fluctuations', and 'sharpest fall' effectively to describe the data. While the vocabulary is not particularly sophisticated or academic, it is accurate and sufficient for the purpose of describing a chart. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is precise in the context of the data provided.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The grammar is generally accurate with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The student uses comparative structures correctly, such as 'copper was the metal with the most stable pattern compared with others'. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are very few grammatical errors. The sentence construction is clear and easy to follow. While the range of structures is not highly complex, it is sufficient to convey the information accurately and fluently.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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