Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-09

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)

In many countries, students are not willing to pursue studying science at university. There are several reasons behind this incident, such as traditional curriculum , lack of resources, etc. This essay will discuss the causes behind this and will also enlighten the effect it has on the society.

There are multiple reasons behind the interest of students not choosing to study science at university. Firstly, institutions are still relies on traditional curriculum of scientific study, which has not seen any prominent update in the last one or two decade. Therefore, students are loosing interest in this field and choosing different field of study. Furthermore, there is lack of resources to learn and do proper research in this subject. Thus, it creates a sense of discomfort towards the aspiring students and influences them to choose separate field rather then science.

The effects of students choosing other fields will have a bigger impact in terms of invention and innovation in the society. The reason behind is that there will be a less number of invention and research work in science. This will cause the society to lag behind in terms of new discoveries and ideas. For example, our university used to have a lot research paper published by students in many renowned science journals but nowadays due to lack of students the numbers are dropping day by day. Therefore, the effects of this phenomenon is already impacting the society.

In conclusion, there are lot of prominent reason behind the lack of interest of students in terms of choosing there university subject and the effects are pretty much noticeable in our society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: causes and effects. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you mention 'traditional curriculum' and 'lack of resources' as causes, these points are not fully explored with specific examples or deep analysis. Similarly, the effects are discussed in terms of innovation, but the argument remains quite general. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points by explaining the 'why' and 'how' more thoroughly. For instance, explaining how a lack of resources specifically hinders laboratory work would strengthen the response. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not effectively summarize the main points discussed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to link ideas. However, the progression of ideas within paragraphs is sometimes repetitive, and the use of cohesive devices can feel mechanical. For example, the transition 'The reason behind is that' is slightly awkward. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that each sentence flows naturally into the next, rather than relying on a list-like structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, such as 'curriculum', 'innovation', and 'phenomenon'. However, there are several instances of word choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'enlighten the effect' (instead of 'examine' or 'discuss') and 'separate field' (instead of 'different' or 'alternative'). Additionally, there are minor errors like 'loosing' (should be 'losing'). To improve, focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that the words you choose are appropriate for an academic context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('institutions are still relies') and incorrect verb forms ('there is lack of resources'). There are also issues with pluralization ('one or two decade') and preposition usage ('in terms of choosing there university subject'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and plural forms would be highly beneficial.

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

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