Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-28
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)
It is considered by a number of people that having friends who have similar perspective in every situation is a great blessing because they show their love and unconditional support, while other individuals think that it is better to make friends who sometimes argue with them on their decisions because they want to guide them to right direction rather than support in wrong perspective. However, I believe true friendship is one in which person guide and give right advice to their friend instead of give support to their views all the time.
To begin with the first view of people who states that it is better to prefer friends who always have similar perspectives as them. The main reason to make these type of friends is because they provide love and support in any circumstances. To explain, this kind of friends always be avalabile to listen a
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response is significantly under-length at only 147 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you introduce both views and state a position in the introduction, the development of ideas is severely curtailed due to the incomplete nature of the essay. The second paragraph is cut off mid-sentence, preventing any full exploration of the arguments or a conclusion. To reach a higher band, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully developed with supporting examples and a clear, logical structure that reaches the required word count.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows some initial organization, with a clear introduction and the start of a body paragraph. However, because the text is incomplete, it is impossible to assess the overall progression or the effective use of paragraphing. Cohesive devices are used in a basic way, such as 'To begin with' and 'To explain', but the abrupt ending disrupts the flow of ideas. To improve, focus on completing your arguments and using a wider range of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly throughout the entire essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks sophistication. Phrases like 'make friends' and 'give support' are functional but basic. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'show their love and unconditional support' (which is acceptable) versus 'give support to their views' (which is less natural). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to social relationships and personal opinions to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The text contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'having friends who have similar perspective' should be 'similar perspectives', and 'person guide and give right advice' should be 'a person guides and gives the right advice'. There are also issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While you attempt some complex sentence structures, the frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation hinder the overall quality. Focus on proofreading your work to ensure subject-verb agreement and correct article usage.
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