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)
It is often argued that students do not have enough interest in studying science in many countries. While there are many reasons responsible for it, society has to face severe consequences for avoiding the science education.
There are a variety of reasons why a lot of students avoiding science these days at university. One possible reason is that studying science at university puts intense pressure on students. The University level majors contain various projects and homework, and students need to complete them within time. As a result, the average learners do not cope these tasks easily and have a fear about their course study from schools, leading them to avoid to take science in tertiary level.
One the other hand, avoiding science at university from students has severe effects on society. One of main impacts is that it hinders society's overall progress. Without studying science at university, people can not have enough idea about a good innovation. Learning science helps society to produce new technologies which help people different tasks, enabling communities overall developments. For example, if student does not study medical science at tertiary level, they will not provide proper treatment of various diseases. As result, people will suffer more in the long run. Without science study, society becomes more unstable and people will be more vulnerable in the future.
In conclusion, although nowadays not enough learners are not choosing science at university in many countries because of immense pressure of course work and not building proper foundation from schools about science study, it has huge effects on society.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| 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: the causes (academic pressure and lack of foundational knowledge) and the effects (hindered innovation and societal instability). The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'intense pressure' is mentioned but not fully explored with specific examples, and the discussion on societal effects relies on generalisations. To reach a higher band, you should provide more concrete examples or deeper analysis of how these causes specifically manifest in different educational systems or how the lack of innovation impacts specific sectors beyond a general mention of medical science.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organised into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'One possible reason', 'As a result', and 'In conclusion', which help the reader follow the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'One the other hand, avoiding science at university from students has severe effects'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'people can not have enough idea about a good innovation'. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring more natural linking phrases would enhance the coherence of the essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'tertiary level', 'innovation', and 'medical science'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'average learners do not cope these tasks' (should be 'cope with') and 'avoiding science at university from students'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic phrasing. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and idiomatic collocations related to education and societal development.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'students avoiding science' (missing auxiliary verb), 'avoid to take science' (incorrect verb pattern), and 'if student does not study' (missing article). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. While these errors do not prevent communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb patterns after specific verbs would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.