Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-04

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 6.5)

In many countries, fewer students are choosing science subjects at university. This is an important issue because sceince plays a major role in the development of a country. There are several reasons for this trend, and it can have serious effects on society.

One main reason is that many student think science subjects are difficult. Subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology require a lot of study, practice and problem solving. Therefore, some students prefer subjects that they believe are easier. Another reason is that students may choose careers that provide higher salaries or faster employment. For example, many young people are interested in business, IT and other fields because they believe these careers can provide good financial opportunities. In addition, some schools may not have good science laborities or qualified teachers, which can make science less interesting for students.

This situation can have several negative effects on society. The most important effect is a shortage of scientists, engineers, doctors and other skilled professionals. These people are necessary for improving healthcare, technolgy, energy and the envionmenT. For example, countries need scientists to develop new medicines and engineers to create better technology. A lack of sciencegraduates can therefore slow down a country's development. It can also make countries more dependent on foreign experts and technology.

In conclusion, the main reasons why fewer students choose science are the difficulty of these subjects, better career opportunities in other fields and a lack of properscience education. This trend can lead to a shortage of skilled professionals and may slow the progress of society. Therefore, schools and governments should encourage young people to study science by providing better facilities, teaching and career guidance.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the causes of fewer students studying science and the effects this has on society. The ideas presented are generally relevant, such as the perceived difficulty of the subjects, financial considerations, and the shortage of skilled professionals like engineers and doctors. However, some ideas are more fully developed than others; for example, the causes are explored with several distinct points, while the societal effects rely heavily on listing professions without deeply extending the implications of a brain drain or technological stagnation. To reach a higher level, the response would need to fully extend and support all main ideas with more comprehensive explanations and thorough elaboration throughout every body paragraph, showing a more fully developed position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introduction to causes, effects, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with distinct paragraphs dedicated to specific components of the prompt. However, cohesion within and between paragraphs can sometimes feel mechanical or slightly repetitive, relying on standard transitional phrases such as "One main reason is," "Another reason is," and "In addition." Referencing is generally clear, but the logical flow between sentences could be smoother. To achieve higher bands, the writer should employ a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices naturally and unobtrusively, ensuring that the progression of ideas feels completely seamless rather than formulaic.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and subject-specific terms such as "professionals," "healthcare," and "development." However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors throughout the response, including "sceince," "student" instead of students, "laborities," "technolgy," "envionmenT," and "sciencegraduates." These lexical and orthographic slips occasionally distract the reader, although they do not completely impede communication. To attain a higher band score, the writer must expand their lexical range with greater precision, demonstrate better control over word forms and collocations, and eliminate spelling mistakes through careful proofreading.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a reasonable mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures reasonably well. There is acceptable control over basic verb forms and sentence boundaries. However, a number of grammatical errors and punctuation slips persist, such as missing plural markers ("many student," "properscience") and minor agreement issues. These errors rarely impede communication, reflecting a typical profile where simple sentences are generally accurate while occasional mistakes appear when attempting more complex structures. To move into the higher band category, the writer needs to produce a higher frequency of error-free sentences while maintaining a wide variety of complex grammatical structures with precise punctuation.

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

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