Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-16

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 6.0)

Nowadays, fewer students choose science at university. There are some reasons for this, and it can create problems

There are two main reasons for this problem. First, science is a difficult subject. Students have to learn many things and do experiments. Therefore, some students do not like science. Second, students think that other subjects, such as business, are easier and can provide good jobs. For these reasons, they choose other subjects instead of science.

This problem can have bad effects on society. First, there may be fewer scientists, doctors and engineers in the future. These people are very important for a country. Second, new inventions and medical treatments may develop more slowly. For example, scientists help find new medicines to treat diseases. If fewer students study science, it may become difficult to solve some problems.

In conclusion, students avoid science because it is difficult and they want better job opportunities. This can lead to fewer scientists and slower development. Therefore, schools should make science more interesting for students.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both parts of the question: you identify difficulty and perceived job prospects as causes, then describe possible shortages of scientists and slower medical progress. These points are relevant, and the example of scientists developing medicines helps illustrate one effect. However, the response is brief and the ideas remain limited and under-developed; for instance, you do not explain why science is difficult or how choosing business leads to better employment prospects. The conclusion adds a recommendation about schools, but this is not developed as part of the main response. The required minimum of 250 words is not met, which limits how fully you can explain and support your ideas. Develop each cause and effect with explanation and a specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on causes, one on effects, and a conclusion. Sequencing is easy to follow, and signposts such as “First,” “Second,” and “In conclusion” make the relationships between points clear. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and also shows some features of stronger progression. However, the linking is quite mechanical, with repeated “First” and “Second,” and the short paragraphs contain little development between claims. For example, the move from fewer professionals to slower inventions is understandable but could be connected through a fuller explanation. Use a wider range of natural links and develop each point so that progression depends less on list-like markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for communicating the main ideas, and terms such as “scientists,” “engineers,” “inventions,” and “medical treatments” are relevant to the topic. The reader can understand the response without difficulty. However, the range is limited, and several general words and phrases recur, including “students,” “science,” “problem,” and “good jobs.” Some expressions are also broad, such as “bad effects” and “develop more slowly,” which reduces precision. To strengthen your vocabulary, use more specific language for the causes and consequences—for example, describe demanding coursework, career prospects, or a shortage of skilled professionals. Aim for accurate collocations rather than simply replacing basic words with more complex ones.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use mostly accurate simple sentences, and the meaning remains clear throughout. There is also some variety through cause-and-effect structures, such as “Therefore, some students do not like science” and the conditional sentence “If fewer students study science, it may become difficult to solve some problems.” This shows a mix of sentence forms rather than relying entirely on isolated statements. However, most sentences follow a simple subject–verb pattern, so the range is limited. The opening also ends with “problems” without a full stop, and the conclusion’s “because it is difficult and they want better job opportunities” could be expressed with more precise parallel structure. Practise combining related ideas with subordinate clauses and ensure punctuation is consistent.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.