Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-14

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)

The world has been paying serious attention to the topic of aging population. With evidence both for and against it, the issue has become a major concern. This essay will explore againg population, discussing its pros and cons, along with causes, effects, and potential solutions. The goal is to reach a well-founded resolution on aging population, supported by reasons and examples.

Many support aging population, recognizing its crucial role and merits. It's important to note that the question of aging population is decisive. Some people analyze the positives and underlying causes before giving their approval. For e.g., having the geriatric individuals in the society helps to make an informed decision has they have an amazing experience regarding different situations both in terms of personal and professional problems.

Looking more broadly, we must carefully examine the downsides and impacts of geriatric people. Certain claims highlight the negative consequences, citing instances where unintended effects have surfaced. E.g. In a country having more number of geriatric individuals will definetly increased the finicial spend of government on medical department and pension which will increase the government expenditure.

In my opinion the advantages outweight the disadvantage of having more number of geriatric population than having youngster till the time their experience has been put to a proper use.

In conclusion, despite the arguments presented here, it's clear that the impact of aging population is open to debate. Focusing solely on its merits is not enough, as there are counterarguments that complicate the issue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You address both sides of the question and state a position: you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages when older people’s experience is used well. However, the response only partially develops this argument. The benefit is mainly that older people can help make informed decisions, while the disadvantage is increased government spending on healthcare and pensions; neither point is extended with a specific example or explanation of its wider impact. The conclusion also says the issue is “open to debate,” which weakens the clarity of your stated view. The introduction promises to discuss “causes, effects, and potential solutions,” but these are not meaningfully covered. The response is also two words below the required minimum. Develop each main point and keep your position consistent through the conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, a statement of opinion, and a conclusion. This helps the reader identify the main stages of your answer. However, progression between ideas is limited: phrases such as “Many support aging population” and “Looking more broadly” introduce paragraphs without clearly connecting the reasoning. Several sentences are general or repetitive, including the repeated references to the “question” and “impact” of an aging population. The final paragraph also introduces a balanced, uncertain position rather than drawing together the argument made earlier. Use clearer links between each claim and its explanation, and make the conclusion directly reflect your stated view.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt some topic-specific vocabulary, including “geriatric individuals,” “government expenditure,” “pension,” and “underlying causes.” This shows an effort to use language beyond basic everyday terms. However, several choices are inaccurate, awkward, or repetitive, which limits precision: “aging population” is repeated often, “finicial spend” is misspelled, and “having more number of geriatric population” is not a natural expression. “For e.g.” and “E.g.” are also unsuitable in this essay style. Check spelling carefully and choose natural collocations, such as “an aging population,” “healthcare spending,” and “pension costs.” Vary repeated terms with accurate alternatives, but prioritise clarity over using formal-sounding vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the opening clause “With evidence both for and against it” and the conditional phrase “till the time their experience has been put to a proper use.” The main ideas are generally understandable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement sometimes make the reader pause. For example, “having the geriatric individuals … helps to make an informed decision has they have” contains an unclear clause and an incorrect connector, while “will definetly increased” combines verb forms incorrectly. The sentence beginning “In a country having more number…” also has an awkward grammatical structure. Practise building clear subject–verb sentences, checking verb forms after modal verbs, and proofreading punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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