Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-14

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)

Nowadays, there has been a heated debate about whether students should focus more on their extracurricular activities over academics. Some people believe that schools should prioritize teaching main subjects. Others assert the formal view. In my opinion a balanced approach should be taken, this essay will discuss both views before I present my opinion.

On one hand, many individuals believe that schools should focus on teaching main subjects. This is primarily because subjects such as, mathematics, science and physics requires more practice to understand difficult concepts. As a results student should spend more time practicing. For example, certain concepts of physics like derivatives are difficult to understand in one go and will need help od teachers to take extra classes to address their problems. Thus, schools should prioritize teaching main subjects.

On the other hand, many people assert that physical education plays an important role in physical and mental development. Additionally, physical activity improves concentration which will ultimately help them to focus better on studies and score more marks. For instance, studies conducted in oxford university reviled that students who were actively participated in sports also achieved exceptional results in academics. Thus, in my opinion extracurricular activities should be a part of educational curriculum, whereas students should be given a choice to select their personal interest, whether they want to utilize their time in clearing their doubts or want to participate in sports.

In conclusion, although focusing on main subjects will help students to practice more and understand concept, physical education is vital for overall development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding academic subjects focuses heavily on the need for practice but lacks depth regarding the broader educational philosophy. Similarly, while the benefits of physical education are mentioned, the connection to 'overall development' is not fully explored. The essay meets the requirements of the prompt, but the supporting points could be more robustly developed to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each viewpoint, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Additionally' are used to guide the reader. However, there are some issues with mechanical cohesion; for example, the sentence 'In my opinion a balanced approach should be taken, this essay will discuss...' is a comma splice, which disrupts the flow. Referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother to improve the overall coherence of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'prioritize' and 'curriculum'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'reviled' (instead of 'revealed') and 'od' (instead of 'of'). Additionally, the phrase 'score more marks' is slightly informal. While the range is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, the lack of precision and the presence of spelling errors prevent a higher score in this category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's flow. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('subjects... requires'), incorrect pluralization ('As a results'), and punctuation errors like the comma splice in the introduction. While the meaning remains clear, the control over complex structures is inconsistent. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for basic punctuation and spelling errors, as these frequent slips limit the accuracy of the writing.

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