Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-28

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)

Nowadays, in many countries few children are taking an interest in studying science at universities. There are reasons why it affects society and economy in a bad manner. In this essay we will discuss the causes and effects.

From my perspective, there are many factors due to which students have a lack of interest in science. Initially, many children have difficulty studying and understanding science related subjects, such as chemistry, physics and math. Due to their lack of interest they choose other fields related to arts and economics. Subsequently, the teaching methods affect them so much, because they ask the children to learn by heart rather than showing them practical examples. For instance, a science students don't understand how to perform an operation by reading from books, so it's crucial to do practical work.

In addition, it has bad impact on society and on the economy of the country. If students don't study science there is a lack of doctors, engineers and businessmen. We have to rely on robotic things or we should hire people from other countries from these fields. Furthermore, it also affects the economy because much funding comes from these fields and for development we have to hire international people. For example, for the construction we have to depend on international engineers, so it costs a lot and it affects the budget of the country.

In conclusion, students do not choose science because they find it hard to understand, it is due to the teaching methods and lack of interest. This will have a devastating impact on the economy and society of any country. We should improve our teaching methods and try to build interest among students through practical experiments and explain their advantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by identifying causes, such as difficult subjects and poor teaching methods, and effects on society and the economy, such as shortages of professionals and reliance on foreign workers. However, the ideas are somewhat generalized and could be developed with greater depth or more precise real-world examples. For instance, the mention of 'robotic things' is overly simplistic. The position is clear throughout, and the conclusion neatly summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, the student should provide more elaborated explanations and nuanced examples regarding how a lack of science graduates specifically impacts societal infrastructure.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt (causes in paragraph two, effects in paragraph three). Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Initially', 'Subsequently', and 'In addition', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but occasional links between sentences could be smoother to enhance the overall flow and progression of ideas across the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to convey their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common items and topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'construction', 'development', and 'experiments'. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'bad manner' instead of 'negative manner' or 'detrimental way', and 'a science students' (grammatical slip). While communication is never impeded, these lexical limitations and occasional imprecise phrasings restrict the score to a solid band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar with complex structures like 'If students don't study science there is a lack of...'. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that persist throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('a science students don't understand'), awkward phrasing ('there are reasons why it affects'), and missing articles. Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the meaning of the sentences remains clear to the reader, aligning well with the band 6 descriptors.

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

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