Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-23

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)

Over the past few years, a considerable change has been seen in choosing subject. It is an irrefutable fact that most of the students in many countries choosing other subject as compared to selecting the science subject. This trend can be ascribed to the several reasons along with its catastrophic effects will be discussed in the following paragraph.

To commence with, there are many reasons due to which problem is prevailing. The first and the foremost reason is high cost of studies In several countries science subject is expensive to study about it in other word doing a bachelor program in science cost four time more to other subjects that is the one reason for learner not preferred science subject. Besides this, science subject in one of the toughest subject as to the other subject. For example, many students preferred other subjects such as, Arts, Commerce. Hence, in many countries students refuse to select science subject at universities.

However, this negative phenomenon leads to certain serious reprecussions. Firstly, lack of inventions if there is no science student in various countries face many challenges regarding the science which effect to their country's economy. Apart from this, many countries will stuck in some problems which will be only solve by science which cause huge number of population who is stuck in that problem. For example, problem of internet, questions about space and many more major problems.

To conclude, there are obvious reason for students not choosing science subject. This negative trend has a detrimental impact on myriad aspects.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the question by identifying high study costs and the perceived difficulty of science as causes, then linking fewer science students to reduced invention and challenges for national economies. These points are relevant, but they are only partly developed: the cost comparison is asserted without explaining why it differs between subjects, and the effects are broad rather than clearly traced. The examples of internet and space problems are not explained enough to show how a shortage of graduates would create or worsen them. Your conclusion repeats the general position but does not bring the causes and effects together. Develop each main idea with a clear explanation and a specific, plausible example to make the response more complete.

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 phrases such as “To commence with,” “Besides this,” and “Firstly” help signal the direction of the discussion, and the reader can generally follow the main points. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent organisation and shows some movement towards more controlled progression. However, several links feel mechanical, and “However” does not clearly express the relationship between the causes paragraph and the effects paragraph. Some references are also unclear, particularly “which cause huge number of population who is stuck in that problem.” Use transitions that express the actual relationship between ideas, and make each sentence’s reference explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some topic-relevant vocabulary, including “high cost of studies,” “inventions,” “economy,” and “detrimental impact,” and you attempt more formal expressions such as “irrefutable fact.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate enough to make parts difficult to interpret. For example, “catastrophic effects” overstates the point, “science subject” is repeated, and “myriad aspects” is vague in the conclusion. There are also noticeable spelling and word-form errors, including “reprecussions” and “effect” where the intended meaning is a verb. Aim for precise, natural combinations such as “science degrees,” “research and innovation,” and “economic growth,” rather than relying on repeated or inflated phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a cause-and-effect construction beginning “if there is no science student.” However, complex attempts are often faulty, and frequent errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction sometimes make meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “most of the students … choosing,” “science subject in one of the toughest subject,” and “many countries will stuck.” The opening sentence also has an unclear structure, while several sentences run together without reliable punctuation. Practise building accurate subject–verb patterns and complete clauses first; then add subordinate clauses and check that each sentence has a clear subject, verb, and logical connection.

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.