Band 5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay on Living Alone: Spelling and Length Issues
Sample Answer with Feedback

πŸ“… Published Feb 2026 ⏱️ 40 minutes recommended πŸ“ 214 words Β· Band 5
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This Band 5 IELTS essay on the topic of living alone presents opinions but struggles with spelling and not meeting the required word count of 250. These factors hinder the clarity and depth of the arguments, pointing to areas for further development.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question

Agree/ Disagree (Opinion) Β· Living Alone Β· 40 min


In some countries, more and more people are opting to live alone these days than before. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? 

Write at least 250 words.



5 Band

Overall Band Score

214 words · Agree/ Disagree (Opinion) Β· AI Evaluated

5
Task Response
5.5
Coherence
5
Lexical Resource
5
Grammar

Score Breakdown

IELTS Writing Band Scores (1–9)

Task Response
5
Coherence and Cohesion
5.5
Lexical Resource
5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
5

Summary: The essay addresses the prompt with a clear opinion but is underlength (214 words vs. 250 required), which limits the development of ideas and affects the Task Response score. There are issues with spelling, grammar, and lexical range, though the structure is generally coherent.

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Student Answer
Real submission β€’ 214 words β€’ Annotated
214 words Band 5 WritingPart2
● Spelling ● Grammar ● Vocabulary

In recent years ,an increasing number of people have chosen to live alone rather living with family members.This trend has become noticable in many countries.I strongly believe that is a possitive development because it reflects personal freedom and social progress.

First of all ,mantaining a single-person household can be seen as apossitive development because it reflects a higher level of personal freedom and independence.By this i mean they gain full control over their daily routines ,finacial disicison and life style preferences .The can decide how they manage their time and their careers.Therefore the rise in solo living can be interpreted as a sign of personal growth.

Secondly ,choosing to stay alone can pave way to their social progress.What i mean by this is solitude can significantly accelarate social progress by allowing them to cultivate self-awareness ,emotional resilience and independence.Regular time alone helps them to appreciate their loved ones more, leading to better, more attentive, and present interactions.Moreover this can reduce the need to conform to groupthinking which inturn improves their mental state.

In conclusion , i be of the opinion that solo living is a possitive development .The outstanding capacity of this decision on people's lives is evident through their progress in decision making ,good fincial management and improvement on in their social behaviours.

AI Feedback Report Details

Spelling Β· Grammar Β· Vocabulary Β· Criteria Analysis

Spelling Mistakes

10 errors
Misspelled Word Corrected Word
noticable noticeable
possitive positive
mantaining maintaining
apossitive a positive
finacial financial
disicison decision
accelarate accelerate
groupthinking groupthink
inturn in turn
fincial financial

Grammatical Mistakes

13 errors
Mistake Correction Explanation
rather living rather than living Missing conjunction 'than' after 'rather'
By this i mean By this, I mean Capitalization of 'I' and comma usage
their daily routines ,finacial disicison and life style preferences their daily routines, financial decisions, and lifestyle preferences Commas in a list and correct spelling; 'lifestyle' is one word
.The can decide They can decide Typographical error; 'The' should be 'They'
Therefore the rise Therefore, the rise Comma after 'Therefore'
Secondly ,choosing Secondly, choosing Comma with space after introductory word
can pave way to their social progress can pave the way for social progress Incorrect idiom; should be 'pave the way for' with correct preposition
What i mean by this is solitude What I mean by this is that solitude Missing 'that' to introduce the clause and capitalization of 'I'
self-awareness ,emotional resilience and independence self-awareness, emotional resilience, and independence Commas in a list
Moreover this can reduce Moreover, this can reduce Comma after 'Moreover'
groupthinking which inturn improves groupthink, which in turn improves Comma before 'which' and 'in turn' as separate words
In conclusion , i be of the opinion In conclusion, I am of the opinion Capitalization of 'I' and subject-verb agreement; 'be' should be 'am'
decision making ,good fincial management and improvement on in their social behaviours decision-making, good financial management, and improvement in their social behaviours Commas in a list, hyphen in 'decision-making', correct preposition 'in'

Vocabulary Improvements

7 suggestions
Original Word/Phrase Improved Word/Phrase Explanation
stay alone live alone 'Stay alone' is less formal; 'live alone' is more standard in this context
pave way to pave the way for Incorrect collocation; the correct phrase is 'pave the way for'
groupthinking groupthink 'Groupthink' is the accepted term for conformity in group decision-making
mental state mental well-being 'Mental state' is vague; 'mental well-being' is more precise and academic
The outstanding capacity The significant impact 'Capacity' is not the best word here; 'impact' or 'effect' better conveys the influence
good fincial management sound financial management 'Good' is informal; 'sound' or 'effective' is more academic
improvement on in improvement in Redundant and incorrect preposition; use 'improvement in'

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Detailed Criteria Feedback

AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion

Task Response 5
Evaluation
The response presents a relevant position but does not fully extend or support ideas due to the insufficient length. Arguments are mentioned but not elaborated with examples or detailed explanation.
Examples
The essay states that living alone reflects 'personal freedom and social progress' but does not provide specific examples or evidence to substantiate these claims. The development is brief, such as in the second paragraph where social progress is mentioned without concrete illustrations.
How to Improve
Expand each paragraph with detailed examples, statistics, or real-life scenarios to support the arguments. Aim to meet the minimum word count by exploring counter-arguments or discussing implications in more depth.
Coherence and Cohesion 5.5
Evaluation
The essay has a basic logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, cohesion within and between sentences is sometimes awkward, and linking devices are limited.
Examples
Transitions like 'First of all' and 'Secondly' are used, but within paragraphs, connections are weak (e.g., 'Therefore the rise in solo living...' lacks smooth integration). The phrase 'pave way to their social progress' is unclear and affects flow.
How to Improve
Use a wider range of cohesive devices (e.g., furthermore, in addition, consequently) to link ideas more effectively. Ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that supporting sentences logically follow.
Lexical Resource 5
Evaluation
Vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and contains several spelling errors, which impede clarity. There is an attempt to use less common words, but accuracy is lacking.
Examples
Misspellings: 'possitive' (positive), 'finacial disicison' (financial decision), 'accelarate' (accelerate). Awkward phrasing: 'pave way to their social progress' should be 'pave the way for social progress'. Word choice issues: 'groupthinking' instead of 'group think' or 'conformity'.
How to Improve
Proofread carefully to correct spelling errors. Expand vocabulary by learning synonyms and using them accurately in context. For instance, instead of 'good fincial management', use 'effective financial management'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy 5
Evaluation
Grammar is inconsistent with errors in sentence structure, verb forms, and punctuation. Sentences are predominantly simple, with limited complex structures.
Examples
Errors: 'By this i mean' (should be 'By this, I mean'), 'The can decide' (They can decide), 'i be of the opinion' (I am of the opinion). Punctuation issues: missing commas after introductory phrases (e.g., 'First of all ,mantaining').
How to Improve
Practice using complex sentences with subordinate clauses. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct verb tenses. Review punctuation rules, especially for commas in lists and after introductory elements.
πŸ’‘
Tip: Review the Band 9 model answer to see how a high-scoring essay structures arguments, uses advanced vocabulary, and maintains coherence throughout.

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