Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-15

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 7.5)

A growing number of higher education institutions worldwide are reporting a decline in science enrollments. This trend stems primarily from the perception of science as an excessively arduous field coupled with less immediate financial reward compared to sectors like finance and software engineering. If left unaddressed, this reluctance threatens both technological innovation and a nation's capacity to solve pressing global challenges.

Several interconnected factors drive young people away from university-level science degrees. Chief among these is the widespread perception that physical sciences—such as physics and chemistry—are exceptionally difficult, demanding rigorous mathematical competency and exhaustive laboratory work. Furthermore, secondary school curricula frequently rely on rote memorization rather than interactive, application-based learning, which can extinguish early curiosity before students reach university age. This issue is intensified by market incentives; prospective graduates increasingly favor business, banking, or tech management, where starting salaries are higher and career trajectories are faster than in traditional scientific research, where securing funding and stable employment often requires postgraduate qualifications.

The long-term effects of this shortfall on society are profound. Crucially, a shortage of scientific talent stalls technological progress and biomedical research, directly delaying breakthroughs in critical areas such as green energy storage, disease eradication, and sustainable agriculture. When domestic scientific innovation stagnates, countries become heavily reliant on foreign intellectual property and imported technology, weakening their economic standing and national resilience. Furthermore, a society lacking a strong foundation in science struggles with scientific literacy, making the public more vulnerable to misinformation regarding health crises or environmental policies, thereby undermining evidence-based governance.

The declining interest in university science courses is rooted in daunting academic demands and distorted market incentives. Societies that fail to make scientific pathways lucrative and engaging risk stifling their own technological advancement and leaving themselves ill-equipped to tackle the complex challenges of the future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by identifying both the causes of the decline in science enrollments—such as the perception of difficulty and less immediate financial reward—and the societal effects, including stalled innovation and compromised public scientific literacy. The student maintains a clear position throughout the text, and ideas are fully developed and well-supported with relevant examples and logical explanations. For instance, the discussion on secondary school curricula and market incentives demonstrates a thorough understanding of the underlying issues. The response meets all task requirements with a well-structured argument, earning a solid Band 8.0 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and progress naturally from an introduction to causes, then to effects, and finally to a concise conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme. Cohesive devices are managed skilfully without being obtrusive; phrases like 'Chief among these,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Crucially' guide the reader smoothly through the argument. Referencing is clear and precise throughout the text, resulting in a cohesive and well-organized essay that comfortably meets the criteria for Band 8.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic context. Less common lexical items are used skilfully and naturally, such as 'arduous field,' 'rote memorization,' 'intellectual property,' and 'evidence-based governance.' Collocations are generally accurate and appropriate. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies, but these do not impede communication or detract from the sophisticated tone of the essay. The lexical control displayed aligns well with a Band 8.0 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the writer demonstrates excellent control over subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and conditional structures, as seen in sentences like 'If left unaddressed, this reluctance threatens both...' Punctuation is handled accurately throughout. Only very occasional minor slips occur, which do not interfere with the clarity of the argument. This level of grammatical proficiency comfortably earns a Band 8.0.

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