Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people feel that the government should pay the costs of running universities so that a university education will be free for anyone who wants it.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
Cost of university education is accelerating day by day.Some individuals believe that the government must pay the amount of running universities. As a result the higher education will be free for everybody who needs it.I am Partially agree to this statement.
The first and foremost reason is that financial support towards poor family who cannot afford money to educate their children.By this, those students can achieve their dream job by a higher education without giving a single penny to the higher authorities.For example, pupils with no existing parents.Secondly,It decreases the unemployment rate.Majority of students leave their studies after 12 th grade due to the university cost.This will be a great victory to students who have great ambitions.
On the other hand, the cost of territory education will be a financial burden to the government.For instance,In india,1000 of universities in a state.Economy will crash,and will affect the country.However,By sponsorship can tackle that problem.Nowadays,Non profitable organizations play a pivotal role in helping students.
In conclusion,I believe financial support and decline in unemployment rate would be a great benefit to the students.But giving education to everyone in a free of charge would be a detrimental to the economy.Proper remedial measures like sponsorship can be more betterment to the students as well as the government.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the pros and cons of government-funded university education. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While you clearly state your position as 'partially agree', the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about unemployment is mentioned but not fully explained in terms of how free education directly leads to job creation. To improve, you should expand on your examples and ensure each body paragraph provides a more detailed analysis to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more thorough exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'The first and foremost reason', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the transition between ideas feels abrupt. For example, the jump from discussing the economic burden to mentioning non-profitable organizations is a bit sudden. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accelerating', 'pivotal role', and 'detrimental'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'territory education' (likely meaning 'tertiary education') and 'more betterment' (which is grammatically incorrect). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and ensure that words are used in their correct context, avoiding repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Issues include missing articles ('in India', 'in a state'), incorrect verb forms ('I am Partially agree'), and punctuation errors (spacing after periods). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proper sentence punctuation will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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