Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-07-31

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)

In many countries, the number of students enrolling in science-related courses at universities is declining.

One main reason is that science subjects are often considered difficult and demanding. students must spend long hours studying mathematics, physics, chemistry, and laboratory work, which discourage many from choosing this fields. In addition, some young people believe that making careers in business, finance or information technology offer quicker financial rewards and better work-life balance. Furthermore. a lack of proper career

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response is significantly under the required word count of 250 words, reaching only 76 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While the introduction and the first paragraph touch upon the causes of the decline in science students, the essay stops abruptly mid-sentence. There is no discussion of the effects on society, which is a core requirement of the prompt. Because the response is incomplete and fails to develop the required ideas, it cannot be awarded a higher band score. To improve, you must ensure you complete all parts of the prompt and meet the minimum length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The text shows some attempt at logical organization, using transition signals like 'One main reason is' and 'In addition'. However, because the response is incomplete, there is no overall progression or paragraph structure. The abrupt ending makes it impossible to evaluate the coherence of the full argument. The use of cohesive devices is limited due to the brevity of the text. To improve, focus on planning your essay structure before writing to ensure you have enough time to cover all parts of the question fully.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the topic, with terms like 'enrolling', 'science-related courses', and 'financial rewards'. However, the range is limited due to the short length of the response. There is a minor error in 'choosing this fields', where 'this' should be 'these'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but there is no opportunity to demonstrate a wider or more sophisticated range of lexical items. Expanding your writing will allow you to showcase a broader vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The sentences produced are grammatically sound, such as 'One main reason is that science subjects are often considered difficult and demanding.' There is a minor punctuation error with a stray period after 'Furthermore'. The range of structures is limited to simple and compound sentences. While the grammar is accurate, the lack of length prevents the demonstration of a wider range of complex structures. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or conditional sentences, while maintaining accuracy.

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