Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-25

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 recent years, there has been considerable debate about whether students should choose to study science at university or otherwise. While some people believe that pupils should prefer studying a different subject, I strongly believe studying science is a better option to go with.

Nowadays, students are exploring different field and just a few number of children are showing interest in science. Studying science plays a significant role in the development of life, and also makes you aware of the surroundings. Moreover, science makes you understand the deep analysis of industries, chemicals, inventions in various of fields and many more. Everything around us is an example of science, and how the new discoveries has made our lives easy is the proof of how essential science is for our world. However, students are motivated to study business, computer and physics because they imagine themselves earning in millions.

This trend can have harmful effects on our society. There will be no more scientists, researchers and laboratory specialists. There will be no one who will sort out our daily life problems by the help of science. We will lack professionals in the field of science, which will result in lack of innovation. People will suffer from various problems without having any clue about it. For instance, progress in such areas as renewable energy and medical research required deep understanding of science.

In conclusion, science plays a key role in our lives because by becoming a businessman or a tech specialist can never provide us what a scientist can. Careen counselors should tell the students about the scope of science in future as well how important it will be.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes and effects. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention that students prefer business or computer science for financial gain, this point could be expanded with more specific examples of societal pressures or educational costs. Similarly, the effects are listed rather than fully explored; for instance, the link between a lack of scientists and specific societal stagnation could be more deeply analysed. The introduction is slightly off-topic as it discusses whether students 'should' study science rather than focusing on the reasons why they currently do not. To improve, ensure each paragraph provides a clear, well-supported argument rather than a list of general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'For instance' to link ideas. However, the progression between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'the deep analysis of industries, chemicals, inventions in various of fields and many more'. The flow could be improved by using more sophisticated transition signals to connect the causes to the effects more fluidly. Paragraphing is present, but the internal structure of the paragraphs needs more cohesion to ensure a smoother reading experience.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significant role', 'innovation', and 'renewable energy'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'just a few number of children' (should be 'a small number of students'), 'earning in millions' (should be 'earning millions'), and 'various of fields' (should be 'various fields'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To reach a higher band, focus on collocations and more natural phrasing, and avoid repetitive or slightly informal expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'how the new discoveries has made' (subject-verb agreement error: 'have made'), 'by the help of science' (should be 'with the help of'), and 'progress... required' (tense inconsistency: should be 'requires'). While these errors rarely impede communication, they are persistent. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and consistent verb tenses. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring they are error-free will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

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

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