Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-23
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In some areas of the US, a 'curfew' is imposed, in which teenagers are not allowed to be out of doors after a particular time at night unless they are accompanied by an adult.
What is your opinion about this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Due to the shift in today’s events such as increase in number of crimes, many states of the US have started to implement new laws which states that the children in those states are denied access to go outdoors after the sun has set unless they are accompanied by an adult. Even though there are some merits in imposing such laws, from my perspective I believe that implementing those rules can have potential drawbacks for the child’s future.
First, restricting children inside homes during night time limits the children’s outdoor activities. Nowadays kids spends majority of the time in school leaving only a handful of hours in night to spend time with their area friends. This might cause in childhood obesity and reduces social interaction. Children might not develop bravery and always expects their parent to accompany at night even at the later stage of their life.
Secondly, due to restrictions of outdoor activity, children would not be able to find any other way to kill time which could lead to spend more time in front of a screen. This cause strain on the eyes. Prolonged exposure to screens also reduces their academic capabilities and has detrimental effects in memory power.
To sum up everything that has been stated so far, there might be some benefit such as increased security inside homes during night, I believe the advantages does not outweigh the disadvantages.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by providing an opinion on curfews, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the position is clear, the arguments regarding childhood obesity and screen time are somewhat underdeveloped and lack depth. The points are relevant, but the brevity prevents a thorough exploration of the topic. To improve, you should expand on your reasoning with more specific examples or counter-arguments to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Secondly', and 'To sum up' are used to guide the reader. However, the transitions between sentences are sometimes mechanical, and the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the brevity of the conclusion makes the overall structure feel slightly abrupt. Further development of ideas would naturally lead to better cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. Phrases like 'kill time' and 'area friends' are somewhat informal or unnatural. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'This cause strain' (should be 'causes') and 'detrimental effects in memory' (should be 'on'). To achieve a higher score, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to social and developmental issues.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('many states... which states', 'This cause strain') and article usage ('in night'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to limit the score. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and ensure that your complex sentences are constructed accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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