Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-20
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 several countries, most students do not choose to study science at university. In this essay, I will discuss the causes of this and its effects on society. I think that this is a significant issue at present. Many students face this problem, and they do not grow in their lives.
From my perspective, the crucial reason is that the merit list is very high and the budget is very high; therefore, several students do not choose to study science at university. For instance, my college friend had wanted to become an MBBS doctor, but he did not become. His marks were good but not so good. He did not choose to study at university due to the high merit list, and if he went to a private university, then he would not be able to afford the expenses of his studies. Another reason could be that most people select the computer field because nowadays the computer field is popular all over the world. Artificial intelligence is very important now. In today's society, AI has become a need for every person. People can use it for their daily purposes. I think this year, 70% of students have selected the computer field due to the best opportunities to earn money. The medical field gives us a less amount of money as compare to computer field. The major effect of students not choosing to study medicine at university is that they are disappointed that it is happening, and they do not continue studying because they are fed up.
In conclusion, students are not choosing the medical field because of the expenses that they would not be able to pay. Some students due to high merit list, they are not able for medicine.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt—causes and effects—but the development is uneven. While you identify financial barriers and the popularity of computer science as causes, the discussion of effects is underdeveloped and somewhat repetitive. The example of the friend is relevant, but the analysis of societal impacts is limited to a brief mention of student disappointment. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the broader consequences for society, such as a potential shortage of healthcare professionals or the long-term impact on public health systems, rather than focusing only on individual student experiences.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is sometimes mechanical. You use basic cohesive devices like 'For instance' and 'In conclusion,' but the transition between the causes and the effects is abrupt. Some sentences lack logical connection, such as the statement 'they do not grow in their lives,' which is vague and does not clearly link to the prompt. Improving the use of linking words to show contrast or consequence (e.g., 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' 'in contrast') would help create a more professional and cohesive argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You rely on simple phrasing, such as 'very high' and 'very important,' which limits the impact of your writing. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'gives us a less amount of money' and 'not able for medicine.' To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to education and economics, and focus on using more precise adjectives and verbs to convey your ideas more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'he did not become' (incomplete thought), 'as compare to' (incorrect preposition), and 'some students due to high merit list, they are not able for medicine' (awkward syntax and missing verb). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of sentence construction, particularly regarding subject-verb agreement and prepositional usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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