Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-05

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 many countries, most of the students are prefer study at science university. There are several reasons for this trend and it can have negative effects on society. However, my point of views will be discussed in ensuing paragraphs.

To commence with, science subjects are considered difficult. Moreover, students have to study complicated theories, formulas and practical works which is required a lot of time and hard work. That is why, students prefer choosing subjects like business and arts. In addition, in science field leaners do not have a lot of choices for their future career. Where as, if they choose accountancy, business and arts they have more options and good salary.

Moving further ahead, this problem has negative effects on society. However, if students do not study in science universities there are shortage of scientists and researchers in future. As we all know that scientists are important for developing new medicines, improve technology and solve environmental problems. In addition, if fewer students prefer scientific fields, countries may struggle to make important discoveries and innovations. secondly, a lack of scientific technological development. For instance, renewable energy, healthcare and climate changing challenges.

In conclusion, the main reason for decline in science field is difficulty of these subjects, limited educational facilities and the attraction of other career options. These trend could be lead to a shortage of skilled scientists and slow scientific and technological progress. Therefor, schools and government should encourage young people to take an interest in science by providing facilities and good career options.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes and effects. However, the introduction contains a significant error, stating that students 'prefer study at science university,' which contradicts the prompt's premise that not enough students are choosing science. This indicates a misunderstanding of the task. While the causes (difficulty, career prospects) and effects (shortage of researchers, lack of innovation) are relevant, the development is somewhat superficial. The ideas are presented but lack depth or specific, well-integrated examples. To reach a higher band, ensure the introduction accurately reflects the prompt and expand on the consequences with more detailed logical progression.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'To commence with,' 'Moreover,' and 'In conclusion.' However, the use of these markers is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'Moving further ahead' to transition to the second body paragraph. Additionally, some sentences are disjointed, and the logical flow within paragraphs is occasionally interrupted by grammatical errors. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be smoother. Improving the variety and precision of linking words will help elevate the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'science field leaners' instead of 'students in the scientific field' and 'climate changing challenges' instead of 'climate change challenges.' The range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but the student relies on basic terminology and struggles with collocations. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to education and societal development, and pay closer attention to word forms and standard English collocations.

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 readability. Examples include 'most of the students are prefer study,' 'which is required a lot of time,' and 'These trend could be lead to.' These errors involve subject-verb agreement, passive voice construction, and modal verb usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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