Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-01

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)

In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of students opting out of science disciplines at the university level. This issue has become a matter of growing concern in many developed and developing nations alike, as it can significantly affect the global workforce, technological innovation, and economic growth. This essay will examine the primary reasons behind this problem and propose several feasible ways to address these consequences.

There are multiple factors that contribute to the declining enrollment in science subjects. Firstly, the perceived difficulty and rigor of STEM fields often intimidates students during their secondary education. This often results in students steering toward humanities or social sciences, which are frequently viewed as less mathematically demanding. Secondly, a lack of engaging, practical teaching methods in schools fails to spark early curiosity, which exacerbates the situation further. Thirdly, the high cost of tuition and long duration of specialized science degrees act as a significant financial barrier. Consequently, students often prioritize shorter, less expensive degrees that offer a faster route to employment. In summary, these factors collectively hinder young academics from pursuing fulfilling and vital careers in scientific fields.

The most immediate impact will be a slowdown in technological and medical breakthroughs. Without a steady stream of new scientists, our ability to cure diseases, develop clean energy, and build next-generation technology will stall. On an economic level, countries will face severe skill shortages. Industries like engineering, pharmaceuticals, and computing will be forced to outsource jobs to other nations, damaging the local economy. Lastly, a lack of science graduates creates a dangerous cycle. Fewer graduates mean fewer qualified science teachers for the next generation, ensuring that future school children receive an even weaker foundation in the subject.

In conclusion, the declining interest in science is a major hurdle for modern society. It is driven by fear of difficulty, uninspiring classrooms, and high educational costs. If we do not make science education more accessible and engaging, society will inevitably suffer from a shortage of innovation, a weaker economy, and a less knowledgeable workforce.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, examining both the causes of declining science enrollment and the societal effects. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. The causes—such as perceived difficulty, uninspiring teaching methods, and high tuition costs—are adequately identified and supported. The impacts on technological innovation and the economy are also clearly articulated. However, some ideas remain slightly under-developed rather than fully extended, which prevents the score from reaching a higher tier. For instance, while the essay notes that tuition costs act as a financial barrier, it touches upon this briefly without exploring long-term student debt consequences. To reach the next level, every identified cause and effect would need deeper elaboration with more specific, contextualised real-world examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, transitioning smoothly from the introduction to causes, effects, and a summary conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Thirdly', and 'Consequently' are used to structure the arguments effectively, though this reliance on sequential markers shows a slightly mechanical approach to cohesion that is typical of this band level. Paragraphing is managed appropriately, and referencing throughout the text is clear. To achieve a higher standard, paragraph transitions and logical links would need to feel more natural and varied, avoiding a formulaic listing style while maintaining flawless overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a sufficient vocabulary range to allow for some flexibility and precision, employing less common lexical items such as 'opt out of science disciplines', 'rigor of STEM fields', and 'technological and medical breakthroughs'. There is a commendable awareness of collocation and academic style, seen in phrases like 'declining enrollment' and 'financial barrier'. Occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice or collocation prevent absolute mastery, but overall, the vocabulary is varied and accurately conveys complex ideas. To push into higher bands, the writer could incorporate more sophisticated, native-like idiomatic phrasing and rare academic collocations while maintaining total precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

This criterion is a particular strength in the response. The writer employs a wide range of complex sentence structures, including conditional clauses ('If we do not make science education more accessible...') and participial phrases, with high success. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, demonstrating excellent control of grammar, punctuation, and tense consistency. Agreement, articles, and prepositions are handled with precision. Minor lapses are extremely rare, reflecting a strong command of syntactic forms. To sustain this high performance consistently across all sentences, the writer would need to eliminate even the most occasional structural awkwardness, securing complete flexibility across diverse clause types.

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