Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 18 · 2026-10-28

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)

Nowadays , in many countries with the advancement of technology and infrastructure , people are survivng longer life than that in the past . Several people believes that trouble is created to government by the aging population ,while plethora people thinks they are benifited to society . In my perception , older people are essential in the society in numerous ways .

The primary reason is old people are experienced and posseses ability to guide youth accordingly. In the era of gen z , youths often get distracted and get involved in activites where there is loss of themselves only . Older people provide guidance and solutions to them . For instance , nowadays people especially the youths can not handle stress and often isolate themselves from their family and friends . Older people teach them to tackle stress and pragmatic knowledge which is pivotal not only in present but also in future .

Older people are familiar with cultural believes , rituals ,traditions which helps to keep cultural roots alive and also to familiar youths about the same . There are several rituals where presence of old people is crucial such as shraad . For instance , there are several significant customs which is crucial to perform in weddings and festivals . Older people are familiar with them and can perform it at ease . Older people knows much about history , economy and practical skills also , which helps to take vital decision in society.

In the conclusion, older people have significant contribution in the society . There are needs of maintaining healthcare sectors . But there are no significant disadvantages .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You present a clear general view that older people benefit society, and the examples about guiding young people and preserving customs are relevant. However, the task asks you to weigh advantages against disadvantages, and the response gives almost no account of the problems an aging population may create. The brief mention of healthcare in the conclusion does not explain the pressure on public services, pensions, or government budgets, so the comparison is incomplete. Several supporting points are also asserted rather than fully explained—for example, older people’s knowledge of history and the economy is mentioned without showing how it benefits society. Develop both sides and state more precisely why the advantages outweigh the costs to address the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs focused on benefits, and a conclusion. The paragraphs generally keep to one main topic, and examples such as stress guidance and wedding customs help illustrate the points. However, progression is limited because both body paragraphs support the same side, with no developed paragraph on disadvantages or direct comparison. Linking is also sometimes mechanical or unclear: repeated openings such as “Older people” make the writing feel list-like, while “For instance” is used to introduce examples without always clarifying how they support the main claim. Use clearer topic sentences, vary referencing, and connect each example explicitly to the argument about overall benefits and costs.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt some topic-related vocabulary, including “cultural roots,” “pragmatic knowledge,” “crucial,” and “significant contribution,” which helps communicate your ideas. However, the range is limited and several word choices, collocations, and spelling errors make parts of the response less natural or occasionally difficult to interpret. For example, “plethora people” and “they are benefited to society” do not express the intended meaning clearly, while “survivng,” “benifited,” and “believes” show noticeable spelling or word-form problems. Repetition of “older people” and “society” also limits flexibility. Build a more accurate range for discussing public costs and social contributions, and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use some complex sentence attempts, including clauses beginning “where” and “which,” and the overall meaning is usually recoverable. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors occur frequently in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence construction. Examples include “Several people believes,” “Older people knows,” and “which helps to keep cultural roots alive,” where the subject and verb do not agree. The phrase “There are needs of maintaining healthcare sectors” is also structurally unclear. Punctuation spacing and comma use are inconsistent. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses while checking that each verb agrees with its subject and that articles are used where needed.

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