Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-09

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that physical education classes are an important part of a child's education. Others believe that it is more important to focus on academics during school time.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In today's fast paced world, individuals hold diverse opinions on a wide range of topics. School should focus on academics during school time rather than on physical education classes have divided opinions, with some supporting it while others oppose it . In my view, it is important to critically analyze both sides of the argument before forming a well-rounded opinion.

Those in favor of academics education argue that extra curricular activities enhance the burden for students which increases stress. For instance, as per the research who did really well in their sports career lacks basic academic knowledge such as finance and critical thinking. Additionally, supporters assert that not all parents can afford fees for physical education. This perspective is based on medical classes as they require specific equipment and uniforms to practice scientific lab experiments which were costly. Which further strengthens the case for them.

Conversely, opponents might argue that physical classes for practical experience is quickly crucial for the development of their career. To site an example, civil engineers would not be able to build any building or bridge without any field experience. Explaining further, doctors could not performed surgeries after reading their books as they require assistance classes for their each task with experienced doctor first. These viewpoints highlights risk associated with not having physical education classes.

In conclusion, the debate surrounding education system is multifaceted, with valid arguments on both sides. While supporters emphasize the benefits, opponents raise important consideration. Ultimately, a balanced approach that considers various perspectives is essential in navigating physical education or academics classes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides an opinion, though the development of ideas is inconsistent. The arguments regarding 'academics' are somewhat confused, as the text conflates physical education with scientific lab experiments, which is not a standard interpretation of PE. The examples provided for the opposing view (civil engineers and doctors) are also slightly off-topic, as they describe professional training rather than school-level physical education. While the position is clear, the supporting arguments lack logical depth and relevance to the specific prompt about school-age physical education classes.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt at logical progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the phrase 'Which further strengthens the case for them' is a sentence fragment that lacks a clear referent. Transitions between ideas are sometimes abrupt, and the connection between the introduction and the body paragraphs is weak. While the overall structure is discernible, the flow of ideas is frequently interrupted by awkward phrasing and unclear referencing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision. There are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'enhance the burden' (instead of 'increase the burden') and 'assistance classes' (instead of 'practical training' or 'clinical supervision'). The student attempts to use more academic vocabulary, but the misuse of terms like 'medical classes' to describe PE indicates a limited grasp of the topic-specific lexicon. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical control is inconsistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('research who did really well... lacks', 'viewpoints highlights') and incorrect verb forms ('could not performed'). Punctuation is also problematic, with unnecessary spaces before punctuation marks and awkward sentence construction. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevents the response from reaching a higher band.

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

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