Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-02
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)
Students in many countries are not selecting science to study at universities. science is an important part of our lives which shouldn't be ignored in any way.
Firstly, in my opinion today's generation is quite more interested in digital and social media related subjects. They have set their goals and they are keenly following that, which i believe is a great thing to do. Earning money nowadays is a major concern for them and they want to get independant in their life and for them earning money through social and digital subjects is quite more feasible and easy. Furthermore, i think they believe that studying science is not worth their time and they cannot earn through it the way the are earning through other skilled studies.
Secondly, in my opinion students don't want to struggle through science and they want an easy route to get accomplished in their life. on the other hand science requires alot of hardwork and an ample of time of your life. All of this has greatly effected the society because science is directly related to our surrounding, everything which is happening has a science in it and i believe if science is not a choice of students these days so this will effect everyone, they will not get the importance of it and there might be drawbacks for it because earning money is not everything,one have to think in longterm. they will not get the basic science knowledge that how everything is working in their surrounding,how the cycle of everything works out they would never get that because they lack the knowledge of science. science is basically includes the knowledge of this world,the nature even the humanbody is a part of science.
In conclusion, it's a personal choice for students to choose their subjects but lacking science to study in their universities might effects the future of students as well as the society.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes (preference for digital subjects, desire for easy money) and effects (lack of scientific literacy, long-term societal drawbacks). However, the development is somewhat superficial. The arguments regarding 'earning money' are repetitive, and the discussion on the effects of a lack of scientific knowledge is quite vague. To reach a higher band, you should provide more concrete examples, such as the impact on medical advancements or technological innovation, rather than general statements about 'the cycle of everything'. The position is clear, but the supporting ideas lack depth and academic rigor.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'Secondly', 'on the other hand'). There are instances where the flow between sentences is disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where ideas about the importance of science are bundled together without clear logical transitions. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the use of 'this' and 'it' without a precise antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each sentence logically follows the previous one would improve the score.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing like 'earning money', 'easy route', and 'greatly effected' (note: the correct verb is 'affected'). There are some errors in word choice, such as 'independant' (spelling) and 'an ample of time' (incorrect collocation). To improve, you should aim to use more academic collocations and precise terminology related to the topic, such as 'vocational prospects', 'scientific literacy', or 'technological advancement', rather than repeating simple, everyday language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'science is basically includes'), incorrect verb forms, and missing articles. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing spaces after commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and sentence boundaries would be highly beneficial.
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.