Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-11-09

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries not enough students are choosing to study science at university. What are the causes of this? What effects does it have on society?

Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. It is often argued that choosing a course related to science in foreign countries requires a great amount of money compared to other Asian countries. I believe that this has various causes and effects on the people and society.

First of all, the reason why many countries do not have enough students choosing to study science is mainly because of expensive tuition fees, which include miscellaneous fees and books. As a result, this has greatly affected students who wish to study, for example, medical courses; they are left with no choice but to set aside their dream of becoming a doctor or nurse because some parents cannot afford all the expenses. Some will send their child to another country to study there; for example, the Philippines—we have seen a lot of foreigners studying medicine here. Because of this, it has effects on society. If more foreign people study here, it will promote equality in terms of standard of education and produce qualified doctors and nurses, which is nowadays in demand in other countries because of how we take care and give a holistic approach. It gives an opportunity for employment abroad and offers high income and career growth.

Secondly, in other countries, universities offer scholarships for students with high grades, which means they are exempt from tuition fees, with monthly allowances. Some also offer exchange students and working students; all of this will be a great option for aspiring students who like to study science-related courses.

In conclusion, in order for students to study science in university without leaving their families and parents to be able to support their children, the government should take the lead to implement free tuition fees or scholarship programs. This will greatly help improve the society to produce more medical professionals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify a plausible cause—high tuition and related costs—and give relevant examples involving medical studies, families’ finances, and studying in the Philippines. You also suggest government scholarships and free tuition. However, the response only partially answers the question because the effects on society are not clearly or fully explained. The discussion of foreign students and employment abroad shifts towards benefits to individuals and the Philippines, rather than examining broader consequences of too few science graduates, such as shortages of healthcare workers or reduced scientific innovation. The second body paragraph mainly describes possible support schemes, so it does not develop another cause or societal effect. Make the cause-and-effect links explicit and extend each with a focused example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion, and signposts such as “First of all,” “Secondly,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the broad structure. However, progression is uneven: the first body paragraph moves from tuition costs to studying abroad, then to equality, healthcare quality and overseas employment, without clearly connecting these points to the central question. The second paragraph discusses scholarships but does not clearly establish whether these are a cause, an effect or a solution. Some references, such as “this” in “Because of this, it has effects on society,” are vague. Organise the body around the task’s two parts—causes and societal effects—and use clearer links between each claim and its explanation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic-related vocabulary, including “tuition fees,” “scholarships,” “medical professionals,” and “career growth,” which makes the main subject clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “holistic approach.” Some choices are imprecise or awkward in context, however: “foreign countries” is unclear when discussing the countries in the question, and “promote equality in terms of standard of education” does not express the intended effect naturally. “Miscellaneous fees” is also less precise than naming additional study costs. These choices do not prevent understanding, but greater accuracy and more natural collocations would improve the response. Prefer precise terms such as “science graduates” and “shortage of qualified professionals” when explaining societal effects.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “students who wish to study” and a conditional structure beginning “If more foreign people study here.” Most ideas remain understandable, and punctuation generally helps separate the main points. Some sentences are grammatically awkward or difficult to follow, particularly “I believe that this has various causes and effects on the people and society,” where the reference of “this” is unclear, and “in order for students to study science in university without leaving their families and parents to be able to support their children,” where the relationships between clauses are confusing. The long sentence beginning “If more foreign people study here” also combines several ideas without clear grammatical links. Use shorter, controlled sentences when explaining cause and effect, and check clause structure and articles.

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