Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-11-14
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people think it's better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them. Other people believe it's good to have friends who sometimes disagree with them.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
While many people believe that choosing friends who always have the same values is better, other people think that having friends with different opinions sometimes is not bad. Although both views have their merits, I believe having the same opinions in friendship is significant to build the strong bonding with each other.
On the one hand, people prefer making new friends who have the same belives and opinions. This is because they believe having the same mindset would make the friendship more stronger. For instance, Before choosing my university friends, I had to spent a quite a few times with them, just to understand about their thoughts and perspectives in different situations. This helps me to pick the right friends, who share the similar opinions, and we have been friends for almost more than 5 years . Consequently, people who share the same views can lead to a strong bond in friendship.
On the other hand, there are a number of individuals who prefers to welcome the friendship from different opinions. It is not necessarily important to have friends from the same opinios as disagreement in friendship can bring up new ideas to enhance our knowledge. For example, some of our friends have different views when it comes to sports discussion, particularly to choose the best players in soccer. So they have different logics and arguments to estabilish their favourite player, whis is insightful in order to learn about different fandoms and players careers. As a result, Having different opinions in friendship is also ideal because of
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
You discuss both perspectives and state a clear preference in the introduction: you believe shared opinions help build a strong friendship. The university-friends example supports this view, while the sports discussion illustrates how disagreement can introduce new ideas. However, the response only partially fulfils the task because the second viewpoint is not fully explained, and the essay ends mid-sentence: “Having different opinions in friendship is also ideal because of”. This leaves your discussion and conclusion incomplete, so your final position is not reinforced after considering both sides. Develop the benefits of disagreement beyond one example, then complete the argument with a conclusion that weighs the two views and restates your opinion.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction followed by separate paragraphs beginning “On the one hand” and “On the other hand.” These signposts help readers identify the two views, and examples generally follow the relevant claims. However, progression is weakened by abrupt or incomplete connections: the final sentence stops at “because of,” leaving the second body paragraph unfinished and the essay without a conclusion. Some links are also repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “For instance/For example” and “As a result/Consequently.” Make the relationship between each claim and its example more explicit, vary linking methods, and add a concluding paragraph so the overall argument feels complete.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “mindset,” “perspectives,” “disagreement,” and “enhance our knowledge,” which helps communicate the main ideas. There is some attempt to express nuanced concepts, such as friends having different views about sports. However, inaccurate word choice, collocation, and spelling are noticeable and sometimes make the meaning less clear. Examples include “strong bonding,” “the same belives,” “different logics,” and “fandoms and players careers”; several expressions sound unnatural or do not precisely convey the intended meaning. Check spelling carefully and learn common word partnerships for friendship and discussion. More precise phrasing would make your ideas easier to follow and give you greater flexibility.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a concession in “Although both views have their merits” and a reason clause beginning “This is because.” These structures show some range, but control is inconsistent. For example, “people who have the same mindset would make the friendship more stronger” has an incorrect comparative construction, while “a number of individuals who prefers” has subject–verb disagreement. The sentence beginning “Before choosing my university friends” also shifts awkwardly between past and present forms, and the final sentence is incomplete. Review agreement, verb forms, articles, and comparative structures, then proofread each sentence for completeness. Greater accuracy in these patterns would make the argument clearer.
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