Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Most countries are facing a conundrum because students are not opting for natural sciences at higher education institutions. Science plays a vital role in building the infrastructure of a country. It helps in research and development processes. In this essay, I will describe why students are not mastering sciences and how it affects our society.

Fewer students are choosing science because it is a complex subject that demands an extra workload, which most students cannot meet due to academic pressure and a lack of confidence in problem-solving situations. So, they prefer not to select science as it is as difficult and frustrating as mathematics. For instance, the students consider science a challenge; they choose humanities instead of physics.

Some other students do not choose science because of professional prospects. In their view, the other subjects would secure their future; they will be able to acquire more career opportunities with high salaries. Nowadays, most students go for AI, Law, and social services because, in their opinion, these jobs will save them in the future, and they will earn a handsome amount for their living. For instance, individuals select social services because they can also do them as remote jobs. Thus, it becomes convenient for living their life to the fullest.

Another reason students do not select science is that fewer graduates have resulted in a lot of empty specialised positions, and the local-market gap is increasing incredibly day by day. Fewer graduates result in a lack of skilled workers, and a lot of technology and science masters are hired from overseas. We then have to pay them for their jobs, and we don't know if they are working properly or not.

In conclusion, while both points are valid, we should teach our students the importance of gaining scientific knowledge; we, as a nation, would be on the way to progress in a significant manner.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: causes and effects. The causes are identified as academic difficulty and career prospects, while the effects are discussed in terms of labor shortages and reliance on foreign workers. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The third paragraph focuses on career prospects but drifts into a discussion about remote work, which is less relevant to the core issue of science enrollment. The final paragraph introduces an effect (labor market gap) that could have been integrated more smoothly into the body. To reach a higher band, ensure each paragraph focuses strictly on one clear idea supported by more specific, academic examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'Thus', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the connection between the final body paragraph and the previous ones is a bit abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive markers to link ideas more fluidly rather than relying on simple sentence-to-sentence progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some good collocations like 'higher education institutions', 'specialised positions', and 'professional prospects'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'save them in the future' (which is informal) and 'living their life to the fullest' (which is a cliché and slightly off-topic). While you attempt some less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic terminology related to education and economics to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and easy to follow, and errors are infrequent enough that they do not impede communication. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'fewer graduates have resulted in a lot of empty specialised positions' (the subject-verb logic is slightly awkward here) and 'convenient for living their life'. You have good control over basic punctuation and sentence construction. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more varied complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining your current level of accuracy.

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

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