Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-07

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)

Many employees don't get adequate physical exercise both during the business day and in their leisure time and this, in turn, leads to serious medical conditions. In recent years, working people not getting enough exercise has become a hotly debated issue in society. This concern is particularly significant due to its impact on health, affecting both individuals and communities. In this essay, I will examine the problems associated with inadequate physical exercise and explore possible solutions, along with their implications for society.

One of the major problems of working people suffering from health issues is attributed to the fact that they are working on computers and they don't have to move frequently as a result. This is evident from the fact that working people are bound to their seats and in their nine to five job, they are strictly prohibited from doing any other activity and soon, they become overweight. Various studies have shown that not doing proper workout often leads to obesity and obesity, as in general, is the main and major cause of severe cardiac difficulties.

Additionally, another key issue related to severe health problems is due to excessive intake of caffeine because caffeine is quite dangerous for health being a main cause of insomnia, ulcers and many other diseases. For instance, the working people have to work from 9 to 5 and sometimes, have to work overtime so they take caffeine which then becomes a major cause of nervous as well as cardiac issues. Therefore, it is evident that the problems arising from not exercising must be addressed with urgency and careful consideration.

Despite these challenges, there are effective solutions to address problems associated with inadequate physical exercise. One significant approach is that the working people should walk more often and after their meal hours in the office, they should walk at least for 10 to 20 minutes. It will refresh their mood as well as keep them healthy and confident. They should be advised to work out three to four times a week. Furthermore, the working people should mainly concentrate on their diet and should avoid junk food. They should also avoid extreme intake of caffeine, cold drinks and should take a proper diet with herbal tea or chamomile tea. Thus, implementing comprehensive strategies is essential for mitigating the negative impacts of not properly working out.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that a sedentary lifestyle can negatively affect health. People should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for lack of exercise and potential solutions. The ideas are relevant, such as the sedentary nature of office work and the impact of diet. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The second body paragraph focuses heavily on caffeine intake, which, while related to health, is only tangentially connected to the prompt's core focus on 'exercise'. The argument could be strengthened by linking caffeine consumption more explicitly to how it replaces active time or energy. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments would benefit from more depth rather than repetition of the '9 to 5' concept.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the problems from the solutions. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Additionally', 'Therefore', and 'Despite these challenges', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between the discussion of sedentary work and the sudden shift to caffeine intake in the second body paragraph is a bit abrupt. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the essay is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'sedentary lifestyle' and 'mitigating the negative impacts'. However, there is a tendency to repeat phrases like 'working people' and '9 to 5 job' throughout the text. Some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'proper workout' instead of 'regular physical activity'. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more variety in their lexical choices and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is generally good control over basic grammar, and errors rarely impede communication. However, there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'the working people' (the definite article is often unnecessary here) and 'not properly working out' (which sounds slightly informal). The use of complex structures is present but not always perfectly accurate. Increasing the variety of sentence types and refining the use of articles and prepositions would improve the score in this criterion.

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