Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-13

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 several countries students are neglecting to study the science at the university level.

Two major reasons for this outcome. For one, these individuals are interested in pursuing studies in different fields which interest them more than science. There are several people all around who are interested in knowing how market trends work, designing clothes and even doing art. For two, there are hundreds of thousands of people in this world who find science to be difficult for them because of which they drop this subject to explore more career options until they find something which happens to interest them. For example, The dropout rates in India decreased dramatically because students were under extreme family pressure to take up science.

The neglect of study of science gives societies of many countries diversities in the occupations of the people of the country. This is the sole reason that every country has builders, people who manage assets, individuals who make the world more prettier with their artistic skills and individuals who evaluate the market trends so that the people of the society have an idea of how the stock market is looking. The only drawback to having less science students would be having less engineers working for the country. A prominent example is Germany, which has dealt with a prolonged, structural shortage of domestic science and engineering talent.

In conclusion, several students neglect studying science at an university level which diversifies the skillset of individuals of a country. However it also causes a shortage of engineering talent in many areas.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the causes of declining science enrollments and the effects on society. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and lacks depth. For instance, the causes are framed rather simplistically around personal interest and perceived difficulty. The example provided regarding India ('The dropout rates in India decreased dramatically because students were under extreme family pressure') seems contradictory or confusing in context. On the societal side, the positive effect of occupational diversity is discussed, alongside a valid mention of the engineering shortage in Germany. While all parts are addressed, the arguments could be extended and supported with more logical examples to reach a higher band. Therefore, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is generally coherent with a clear overall progression. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the introduction, causes, effects, and conclusion. However, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or awkwardly phrased, such as 'For one,' and 'For two,' which weaken the natural flow of ideas. Referencing and logical transitions between sentences could also be smoother. For example, the transition from the reasons for dropping science to the Indian dropout rates lacks a clear cohesive link. Paragraphing is sufficient, but referencing within paragraphs is sometimes unclear. These issues place the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'diversities in the occupations', 'structural shortage', and 'skillset'. However, there are notable lexical errors and unnatural collocations throughout the text, such as 'neglecting to study the science at the university level' (incorrect article usage and collocation), 'more prettier' (double comparative error), and 'less science students' (should be 'fewer'). These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including missing articles ('study the science at the university level' should be 'study science at a university level' or 'at the university level'), awkward phrasing ('there are several people all around who are interested'), and comparative errors ('more prettier'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while complex structures are attempted, they frequently contain minor structural or agreement slips. These errors occasionally cause strain for the reader, aligning with the Band 5.5 descriptor.

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

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