Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-08-26

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 5.0)

There are many possible reasons why most students prefer studying the arts rather than the sciences, and their causes are given below:

On the list, the first reason is the lower demand for the sciences in society because, by studying the sciences, you would only be able to take part only in science fields, which is a negative point for students and, due to this, students would not like to take the risk of their future and go for studying Art subjects, and after that there is also very highlighted point in which would prefer studying Art subjects and the point is their family relatives or the people in the society. Because these people would not let students take part in the science field by scaring them and their family members that there is no scope for the science field at present time, and also by telling them that there is also a less chance that the student would get a job because on one seat 10 to 15 students are competing to achieve that seat, which lowers the percent of getting their desire seat and because of this competition many of the students let down their interest and go for other fields.

From society's point of view, it has a very significant effect, because if more students don't go into the medical field, there would be less competition, which is a positive point for them.

In the end, the conclusion is to believe in yourself rather than asking other people and go for what you want in your life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying causes such as perceived lack of career scope and social pressure, and briefly mentioning an effect. However, the development is limited and somewhat repetitive. The discussion on causes is quite narrow, focusing heavily on the idea of 'competition' and 'family pressure' without exploring broader educational or economic factors. The section on effects is underdeveloped, offering only a brief, somewhat illogical point about medical school competition. To improve, you should provide more detailed, distinct arguments for both causes and effects, ensuring that each point is fully supported with clear examples or logical explanations rather than just stating them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is weak. The transition between ideas is often mechanical or confusing, such as the phrase 'after that there is also very highlighted point'. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes repetitive, with 'because' and 'and' being used excessively to link long, run-on clauses. The conclusion is abrupt and does not effectively summarise the main points of the essay. To achieve a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'take part in', 'go for', and 'very highlighted point' are used in ways that are not always natural or precise. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or an awareness of collocation. For instance, 'let down their interest' is an incorrect collocation for losing interest. To improve, you should focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to education and career development, and practice using synonyms to avoid repeating the same words throughout your response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding sentence structure. Many sentences are overly long, run-on, and lack proper punctuation, which makes them difficult to follow. For example, the second paragraph consists of only two very long, complex sentences that are poorly constructed. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While you attempt complex structures, they are often faulty, leading to a lack of clarity. You should focus on writing shorter, clearer sentences and proofreading for basic errors in verb tense and sentence boundaries.

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

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