Samples / Task 2 essay / Advantages and disadvantages / Band 7

Should People Work From Home or In An Office?

An IELTS writing task 2 model essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of working from home, aimed at Band 7.

The question

An increasing number of people now work from home rather than in an office. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In recent years, there has been a significent shift in the global workforce, with an increasing number of employees choosing to work from home instead of commuting to a traditional office. While this trend presents certain challenges, I believe that the benefits of remote working, such as increased flexibility and reduced commuting time, outweigh the drawbacks. On the one hand, remote working offers substantial advantages for both employees and employers. The most significant benefit is the flexibility it provides. Workers can manage their time more efficiently, allowing them to balance their professional responsibilities with personal commitments, such as caring for children or running errands. Additionally, eliminating the daily commute saves a considerable amount of time and money, which can reduce stress and increase overall job satisfaction. For companies, having remote staff can lead to reduced overhead costs, as they do not need to rent large office spaces or pay for expensive utilities. On the other hand, there are notable disadvantages associated with this development. One major concern is the potential for social isolation. Working alone at home can lead to feelings of loneliness and a lack of connection with colleagues, which might affect team cohesion and employee morale. Furthermore, the boundary between work and personal life often becomes blurred. Without a physical separation between the office and home, many people finds themselves working longer hours, which can lead to burnout. For instance, some employees might feel obligated to answer emails late at night, making it difficult to fully disconnect from their job duties. In conclusion, although working from home can lead to social isolation and a lack of clear boundaries between professional and private life, the advantages are more significant. The flexibility and cost savings it offers make it a highly beneficial arrangement for modern workers and organizations alike. Therefore, the positive aspects of this trend clearly outweigh the negative ones.

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This answer was written by a language model to a real exam question, then scored by Bandly against the four public band descriptors. The band is a software estimate. No examiner has marked it, and the band a real examiner would award may differ. Scored with google/gemini-3.5-flash on 2026-09-08.

Estimated overall

Mean of the four criteria, rounded the way the exam rounds it.

Task Response 8

Band 8, because you clearly answer the ‘outweigh’ question and develop both sides well, but your advantages are not fully extended with specific, varied support to reach band 9.

Coherence and Cohesion 7

The response demonstrates clear progression and logical organisation of ideas, but some cohesive devices are used in a slightly mechanical way, preventing a higher band.

Lexical Resource 6

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but occasional inaccuracies in word choice and spelling prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy 7

The response uses a variety of complex structures and produces frequent error-free sentences, but a few errors in grammar and punctuation prevent a higher score.

What would take this higher

To improve your score, you should focus on your lexical resource by eliminating spelling errors such as "significent" and ensuring more precise word choices throughout your essay. Paying closer attention to proofreading for these minor spelling slips and incorporating a wider range of sophisticated, natural collocations will help elevate this vocabulary component to a band 7. Consistently demonstrating precise control of word formation and spelling is key to unlocking the next band level.

Find out what this essay would score

Paste your own answer and Bandly returns an estimated band for each of the four criteria, with the sentences that pulled the score down. Under a cent an essay, about six seconds.

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