Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-03

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 5.5)

Some people believe that many working people will have time to exercise either during the working day or in their free time, while others think they won't have sufficient time to exercise. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.

In my view, most of the people who were working really hard to make money don't have enough time to exercise either on a weekday or at the weekends and there are many reasons behind it. Firstly, the work culture now a days has been changed compared to few decades as there are very harsh deadlines to cover up the work. On the other hand one has to manage their work life balancing by taking care of their children or parents living at their home. Secondly most working people have to cook their own food for the whole day and even have to take care of their pets. Finally, as a result there won't be any time left for themselves.

However, one needs to make some changes according to their schedule like having a simple walk at the mornings or evenings instead of going to gym everyday and doing some harsh exercises. They could even consider adding some simple exercises at home. Some people can adjust their weekends to spend most of their time at gym. As a result they will get healthy life style and get rid of health problems.

In conclusion, I would suggest every working individual to have a very good healthy diet to be included in their meal along with taking some good exercises to maintain a healthy future life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for the lack of exercise and potential solutions. However, the introduction is problematic as it misinterprets the prompt as a 'discuss both views' essay, which is not what was asked. The development of ideas is somewhat superficial; for instance, the reasons provided (cooking, pets, work-life balance) are listed but not deeply explored. The solutions offered are practical but could be more detailed to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher. The position is clear, but the overall task response is hampered by the initial misunderstanding of the essay type.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', 'Secondly', 'Finally'). The transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs is weak because the introduction sets up a 'discuss both views' structure that the body paragraphs do not actually follow. While the progression of ideas is generally logical, the lack of sophisticated linking words and the occasional awkward phrasing make the flow feel slightly disjointed at times.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is a reliance on simple, repetitive language (e.g., 'working hard', 'make money', 'simple exercises'). Some collocations are unnatural, such as 'harsh exercises' or 'have a very good healthy diet'. While the meaning is generally clear and communication is not impeded, the student does not demonstrate the ability to use less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions effectively. More precise terminology related to lifestyle and health would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'work culture now a days has been changed' (incorrect tense/passive voice), 'compared to few decades' (missing article), and 'manage their work life balancing' (incorrect word form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing.

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

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