Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-10-27

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)

In several countries there are shortage of students at universities science programs as not enough students are enrolling to study science at that level. A major factor could be lack of proper infustructure at university. This could lead to severe problems including underdeveloped country as there will be lack of professionals to develop or invent new technologies.

If a university failed to give proper labs or other necessary equipments, due to funding problem or corruption, then scholars of that university will simply not choose to read science. Many countries university are funded by government project. But usually those are not spent correctly to develop proper lab facilities for students, especially in third world countries. For example, in Bangladesh, their top universities get enourmous amount of funding each year but those universities still lack basic computer labs and other facilities. As a result, students are not learning properly and eventually dropped out or even they are not enrolling in science programs at all.

Lack of scientific scholars at university can lead to shortage of scientific researcher in those countries which will eventually slow down their developments or even halt them. Scientific researcher and engineers are the main key of a developing country. Without them large insfustructure will not happen. Countries then need to outsource workers which is an economical disadvantages and will hurt the whole nations development progress. For instance, China and Bangladesh were at similar positons in 1971. But now China is fully developed nation and Bangladesh still remains underdeveloped. The main cause of Bangladesh is not treating their university students correctly by not giving them proper insfustructure to continue reading science. Thus, most of the students are not willing to read science in that country at university or they will simply go to better country to complete their higher studies. In both cases, the development of Bangladesh suffers.

In conclusion, lack of proper equipments due to improper funding management of university causing students to stay away from science which is eventually harming a counties development severly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both causes and effects, and your central explanation—that inadequate university facilities discourage science study and reduce the supply of researchers and engineers—is relevant. The Bangladesh example also gives the discussion a concrete focus. However, the response develops the cause much more fully than the effects, which are mainly described as slower development, outsourcing, and national disadvantage. The comparison with China is asserted rather than supported, and the claim that facilities are the main reason for the countries’ different development is too broad. To strengthen the response, explain more precisely how a smaller science graduate workforce affects areas such as healthcare, industry, or innovation, and support examples with a clear link to the question.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph explaining the cause, a paragraph on social effects, and a conclusion. Ideas generally progress from poor facilities to reduced enrolment and then to consequences for development. Linking phrases such as “As a result,” “For instance,” and “In conclusion” help signal these relationships. At times, however, the progression becomes repetitive: the final paragraph repeats the point that students avoid science or leave the country, and the conclusion largely restates the same cause-and-effect chain. Some references, such as “those” in “those are not spent correctly,” are not fully clear. Use more precise referencing and make each paragraph add a distinct step to the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “funding,” “lab facilities,” “scientific researcher,” “engineers,” and “development,” so the main ideas are understandable. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “outsource workers” and “development progress.” However, the range is limited by repeated use of “proper,” “students,” and “development,” while several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “read science,” “main key,” and “economical disadvantages.” Spelling errors such as “infustructure,” “enourmous,” and “severly” also reduce accuracy. Build a wider set of natural academic collocations and check spelling carefully; this will make your argument more precise without changing its meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “If a university failed to give proper labs … then scholars … will simply not choose” and cause-and-effect clauses with “which.” These help communicate relationships between ideas. However, errors in agreement, articles, plurals, and verb forms occur often enough to make some sentences awkward. For example, “there are shortage” needs a plural noun, “Many countries university are funded” has an unclear possessive and agreement, and “students … eventually dropped out” shifts tense. The conclusion’s “funding management of university causing” also lacks a complete grammatical structure. Review subject–verb agreement and sentence completeness, and proofread longer sentences for consistent tense and clear clause connections.

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