Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-23

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)

The argument about, some people select friends who always have similar opinion as them while other believe it would be important who sometime disagree with them. I agree with the later view of having people in life that sometime speak against to give honest opinion and different perspective of judgement. This letter will discuss both view in detail for more understanding.

While its obvious people connect with others more instantly having similar opinion on the matter in daily life and resent those who have contradicting view. Its because mind always has consience and connection with those who are similar in the personality, traits and thoughts as agreeing to your own thoughts is more easier than thinking of opposing view. But its not always good, as people opposing have underlying reasons to their result of speaking against it which comes handy in difficult scenario. As one thinking of changing job will only like to hear about agreeing on the decision from their friends while how risky it could be is also important for personal life if got fired from new job.

In life, it is important to be friends with people who gives guidance to move forward in life eventhough having disagreeing opinion and taking middleground of whats right thing to do. While excessive opposing view will create arguments and eventually lead to the understanding resulting into distanting friendship.

Overall, It is important for friends to disagree to speak their mind and discuss both positive and negative for more overall view of the advise. Also a mutual respect while contradiction puts more weight to the argument for the friends to take the advise constructively in life.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and make your position clear: you favour friends who sometimes disagree because they can offer “honest opinion and different perspective.” The discussion of why people prefer similar opinions is relevant, and the job-change example helps illustrate the value of hearing a warning. However, the two sides are not developed equally: the first view receives a fuller explanation, while the point about excessive disagreement causing arguments is brief and would benefit from a specific example or explanation. Your conclusion restates your preference, but the essay could explain more precisely how friends can disagree constructively. Develop each main idea with a clear reason and supporting detail to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall structure, moving from an introduction to discussion, a further point, and a conclusion. Paragraphing helps separate the main ideas, and expressions such as “While” and “Overall” signal relationships between them. However, some connections are unclear or mechanical. For example, “While its obvious…” is not smoothly linked to the next sentence, and the paragraph beginning “In life” introduces a new point without clearly connecting it to the earlier job example. References such as “their result” and “the understanding” are also difficult to follow. Use clearer topic sentences and explicit links between claims and examples, while ensuring each pronoun has an unmistakable reference.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “contradicting view,” “underlying reasons,” “guidance,” and “mutual respect,” which helps express the topic. There are also attempts at more precise ideas, such as “different perspective of judgement.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, sometimes making the intended meaning less clear: “speak against,” “more overall view,” and “puts more weight to the argument” are examples. Some forms are also misspelled or incorrectly formed, including “consience,” “distanting,” and “advise” where the noun is intended. Aim for natural combinations such as “offer a different perspective” and check spelling and word forms during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “while,” “as,” and “if,” and the main ideas are generally understandable. However, some errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and punctuation remain. For instance, “The argument about, some people select…” is not a complete, well-formed opening sentence, while “people who gives guidance” has a subject–verb agreement error. In “While its obvious people connect…,” the subordinate clause is left without a main clause, and several sentences omit necessary articles or use awkward grammatical patterns. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check agreement and punctuation, especially in longer sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.