Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-11-04

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 5.5)

As a science student and from a developing country I can some how understand the students decision of not taking the subject almost every parent dream of and in my opinion there are two main reasons for this firstly science is a difficult subject and requires efforts and a lot of time also the higher studies are so expensive in good colleges. Secondly the amount of pressure parents have been giving to their children over the decades has now made the subject a slight irritational view in the students eyes, if everyone says take science that is good for your future which is true but a teenager would think why not do something not everyone says and also science is sort of boring in comparison with other subjects and young adults are more influenced towards a path which is fun and easier to take. If I particularly talk about my country there is also a noticeable decline in students choosing science and one more reason including two mentioned above is there is no respect in public for these people who put years of efforts in science and still they do not get appreciation and young adults now seeing this are refusing to get a life which everyone wants you to get because it is just a good child subject with no proper opportunities and no work life balance. The effect this will have on the society will be realized after a decade or so and it is a alarming point because science is essential for societal benefit new discoveries, technologies, healthcare these are and will be inevitable for human kind and when there will be a shortage of those people it will be a crisis for people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the question and give a clear view of why fewer students choose science. Relevant causes include the subject’s demands, the cost of higher education, parental pressure, and limited recognition or career prospects. You also explain the social consequences through possible shortages in discoveries, technology, and healthcare. The personal reference to your country helps make the discussion relevant. However, some causes are asserted rather than explained: for example, the claim that science is “sort of boring” would be stronger with a reason or example. The effects are also less developed than the causes; explain more specifically how shortages would affect people or services. Developing these points with concrete examples would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an identifiable progression from causes to effects, and signposts such as “firstly,” “Secondly,” and “The effect this will have” help readers follow the main stages. However, nearly all the ideas are packed into one paragraph, so the organisation is difficult to see and the long sentences make relationships between points less clear. Some linking is also mechanical, while phrases such as “one more reason including two mentioned above” are awkward and obscure the connection. Use separate paragraphs for the causes and effects, and organise each around a clear main idea followed by explanation or an example. This would create a clearer overall progression and make the links between claims easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “higher studies,” “decline,” “appreciation,” “opportunities,” “discoveries,” and “healthcare.” These choices allow you to discuss both educational decisions and wider social consequences. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “irritational view,” “a good child subject,” and “a life which everyone wants you to get.” Spelling and form errors, including “some how” and “human kind,” also reduce precision. Aim for more natural academic phrasing and check collocations: for instance, describe science as having a “negative image” or limited “career prospects.” More precise vocabulary would help express your ideas without changing their meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt complex sentences to connect causes and consequences, and you use structures such as “because science is essential” and “when there will be a shortage.” This shows some range, but many sentences are very long and contain several clauses without clear punctuation, which makes them difficult to process. For example, the opening sentence runs through your personal perspective, the causes, and the first explanation without a full stop. There are also errors in articles and agreement, as in “it is a alarming point,” and in sentence construction, such as “the amount of pressure parents have been giving.” Break long sentences into shorter units, use full stops and commas to mark clause boundaries, and check articles and verb patterns. This would improve control while retaining complex structures.

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