Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-22

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result.

Why do many working people not get enough exercise?

What can be done about this problem?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.5)

A good number of working individuals live sedentary lifestyle, resulting in health problems. This essay will discuss the reasons and solutions to this.

Many working people have very busy work schedule. They have to deal with late nights work, working on holidays and spending their waking hours at the office. This leaves them with little or no time to spare for exercises. For example, a Medical Doctor who works all day and night, barely has enough time to rest or even exercise. Additionally, many working individuals have busy social and personal lives. Many people have children, siblings and organizations to attend to. These are often outside their work life. Having various commitments leaves individuals physically exhausted and have no time to keep fit.

Lack of physical fitness can have detrimental results. One of the solutions to this problem is reducing the working hours of employees. Employers should pay attention to the health of their employees. There should be a structure in place to ensure a balance between work life and physical fitness. Another solution for this is organizing health related conferences or shows. This will help working individuals appreciate the need for physical fitness and the health-related risk of sedentary living. Employers can also build an in-house gymnasium for their workers. This will encourage them to take exercise seriously. For instance, MTN office in Nigeria, provided an office gymnasium for their employees. This encourages them to take exercise seriously.

In conclusion, lack of sufficient exercise is detrimental for the health of individuals. Measures should be put in place to encourage working people get enough exercise and be physically fit.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.0
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the lack of exercise and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as long working hours and personal commitments, and the solutions provided, like in-house gyms and reduced hours, are practical. However, the development is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why personal commitments lead to exhaustion could be expanded with more depth. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more detailed analysis or broader implications.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main questions. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Additionally,' 'One of the solutions,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the discussion of personal lives and the impact of physical fitness is a bit abrupt. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraph structure is effective.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is some use of topic-specific vocabulary like 'sedentary lifestyle,' 'detrimental,' and 'commitments.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is occasional repetition of simple phrases such as 'take exercise seriously.' To improve, the writer should aim for more varied collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a higher level of precision. The word choice is functional but lacks the sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'live sedentary lifestyle' (missing article 'a'), 'late nights work' (should be 'late-night work'), and 'encourage working people get' (missing 'to'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to demonstrate better control over complex structures and ensure greater accuracy in basic grammar, particularly with articles and verb patterns.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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