Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-08
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)
A few people believe that better to choose friends who always have the same thinking like you. On the other hand, some think a good friend is who sometimes disagrees with them. In this essay, I will discuss both perspectives and give my opinion in the upcoming paragraphs.
To commence with, some individuals think having a good friend is someone who has the same beliefs as them. Because having a person with the same thinking makes their relationship stronger and for a long term. For example, a person who disagrees with you all time even you are right at that time always led conversation into conflict with each other. Having a folk with the same mindset makes life easier and free from fights and issues those are related to their relationship.
However, others believe having a friend who disagrees with them when they are wrong is a good thing. Since sometimes our actions are good but result make situation worse if we did not think deeply but having a friend in life who understands this and has the courage to tell you that now you are wrong because this result causes a challenge for them. Having disagreement towards specific argument or topic sometime safe us from big disaster.
In conclusion, I am thinking both situation have there own beliefs. It fits according to the situation this does not always work. But I personally follow the second view in my life all the time.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the explanation of why disagreement prevents 'big disaster' is vague and lacks a concrete example. The position is clear, but the brevity prevents a more nuanced exploration of the topic. To improve, you should expand on your supporting points with more specific examples or detailed reasoning to ensure the word count requirement is met and the arguments are fully explored.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'However', and 'In conclusion'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is unclear, such as 'this result causes a challenge for them'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the limited length makes the overall structure feel somewhat abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'same thinking' and 'good thing'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'having a folk' and 'safe us from big disaster'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated vocabulary and idiomatic expressions appropriate for an academic essay. For example, instead of 'same thinking', use 'like-minded individuals' or 'shared perspectives'. Focusing on word choice and collocation will help you convey your ideas more effectively and professionally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity, such as 'better to choose' (missing subject), 'disagrees with them when they are wrong is a good thing' (subject-verb agreement), and 'both situation have there own beliefs' (pluralisation and homophone error). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels repetitive. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring they remain error-free will significantly boost your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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