Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-07

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)

Many students all around the globe are not choosing to study science at the university. The expected causes of this choice and the following effects, are to be discussed in this essay.

The most understandable cause of this particular choice of students can be the rise of social media. The students are very distracted these days to be fully focused on the science related stuff. The short-reals trend has tremendously shorten the attention span of the students of this generation. Therefore, it must be difficult for students to study such courses which require deep attention and focus.

The second reason is somewhat similar to the first one, because of social media, there are various easiest ways of earning these days that studying hard subjects have lost it's meaning and purpose. When they are able to fulfill there needs and desires without any proper qualification, they don't have any good reason to pursue Education or science related fields. Either they choose to study something easy or just skip it completely.

While choosing to opt for easy ways are somehow working for this generation, we are losing the people who are curious to learn and invent new things. There will not be new scientists and invention if youth continues to choose the easy way out.

However, using the social media as a source of side income is a good choice, but they are loosing their interest in the education. Obtaining good qualification should always remain their main priority. They should have something of their own on which they can rely. Having side income is good in their own ways, but with time trends changes, the thing which is working for you today, would might stop working in the future.

In conclusion, we can say, you should be equipped with better education, so you have a good foundation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: causes (social media distraction and the rise of 'easy' income) and effects (loss of innovation and long-term instability). However, the development is somewhat superficial. The ideas are presented but lack depth or specific examples. For instance, the claim that social media causes a decline in science interest is a good starting point, but it is not supported by concrete evidence or a more nuanced explanation of the societal impact. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not fully synthesize the points made. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your arguments with more detailed reasoning and clearer real-world examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward. For example, 'The second reason is somewhat similar to the first one, because of social media...' is a bit repetitive. Transitions between paragraphs are present but could be smoother to create a more natural flow. The referencing is generally clear, but the logical progression within paragraphs could be improved by ensuring each sentence builds more effectively on the previous one. Paragraphing is used, but the final conclusion is very short and lacks impact.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some informal phrasing, such as 'science related stuff' and 'short-reals trend', which is not ideal for an academic essay. There are also some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'would might stop working' and 'loosing' (instead of 'losing'). While the meaning is generally clear, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the sophistication needed to express complex ideas about societal trends or academic choices. Expanding your range of academic collocations would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'the thing which is working for you today, would might stop working' and 'there are various easiest ways'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are errors in subject-verb agreement and word order. These errors do not usually impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like 'it's' versus 'its' and 'there' versus 'their'.

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.