Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-19

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)

Subjects are central to the curriculum of any institution. Schools offer updated subjects, so that students can learn, while universities offer a variety of degrees ranging from arts to science for their students. But in many countries around the world, students are not choosing science; instead, they prefer subjects like arts, fashion, and music.

The main reason behind all this is the sudden evolution of artificial intelligence and computer tech resources. Each day, we see new tools, many updates, and the release of different domains related to science and technology. Every day, new papers come out, and discoveries are made, which puts mental pressure on students, and they struggle to keep up with all the ongoing trends. So students don't prefer these nerve-racking subjects anymore, and they are leaning towards other degrees.

Though science subjects provoke our minds, drive us to think out of the box, improve our analytical thinking, and put us in a tough spot, this is ultimately what is required to live life in this fast-paced era. For example, students choosing acting or music as their core subjects fail at many stages as they lack common knowledge. Besides acting on a stage or singing in a musical show, they cannot compete with all the trends.

As in my opinion, it's one person's choice to choose his/ her own degree or subject to move towards their goal. One is satisfied with their choice, then there's no further point of discussion on it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify a possible cause—students feeling pressured by rapid developments in AI and technology—and you attempt to discuss consequences. However, the task asks for effects on society, while much of your response describes how science study challenges students or argues that arts students lack knowledge. These points do not clearly explain wider social effects, such as skills shortages or slower innovation. The cause is also asserted rather than supported with a clear example, and the final paragraph shifts to personal choice instead of completing the discussion. The response is six words below the required minimum, so it does not meet the length requirement. To strengthen the answer, address both questions directly and develop each point with a specific explanation or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable paragraph structure: an introduction, a paragraph on a cause, a paragraph that appears to discuss effects, and a concluding comment. Linking expressions such as “For example” and “Besides” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the overall progression is not consistently clear: the third paragraph moves from the demands of science to a broad claim about students choosing acting or music, without establishing the social effect. The final paragraph introduces personal choice rather than drawing together the causes and effects. Some connections, including “As in my opinion,” are awkward, and “all this” has an unclear reference. Organise the body around one paragraph for causes and one for societal effects, with each paragraph developing a clear central point.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary and make some attempts at less common expressions, including “mental pressure,” “analytical thinking,” and “fast-paced era.” These choices help communicate the general topic. There are, however, several imprecise or unnatural collocations: “computer tech resources,” “provoke our minds,” and “fail at many stages” do not express your intended ideas clearly. “Nerve-racking subjects” is also an overly strong description of academic study. Some repetition of “students,” “subjects,” and “science” limits flexibility. Aim for more precise academic phrasing and vocabulary that directly describes social consequences, such as a shortage of skilled graduates or reduced research capacity. This would make your ideas clearer and more appropriate to the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including the relative clause in “degrees ranging from arts to science” and the conditional structure “If one is satisfied with their choice…”. Most sentences remain understandable, and errors rarely prevent the reader from following your meaning. Some sentence structures and punctuation need attention, however. “As in my opinion” is not a well-formed introductory phrase, and “One is satisfied with their choice” lacks the conditional “If” needed to connect it to the following clause. The sentence beginning “Though science subjects provoke our minds…” is long and joins several ideas in a way that makes the relationship between them difficult to follow. Use complete, clearly connected clauses and check punctuation when combining multiple points.

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