Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-08

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 6.0)

Few people suggests ruling bodies to run the universities free of cost so that anyone willing to gain education can get benefited with the program. While giving it a thought i think this should not be the case. As to run a university, it takes lot many resources as well as funds.

Firstly, if all the universities gets funded by the government, it will decrease the value of education. Moreover, the tax payers money will be used to fund this, which should be used in developing the country. For example, the resources kept for the road development or for any new infrastructure, might get diverted which might delay the necessary projects.

Furthermore, government should introduce low interest rates loans, which makes it more accessible for students who needs support for their further studies. Along with this universities should also be capped for raising the fees, which will help students plan ahead of time.

I suggest that, rather than making it completely free, new scholarships should be introduced. Which makes the needy as well as bright students get the required support to get appropriate education. In one of the book I read few months back, it has a similar discussion. They did a survey on students of different age group. They took interviews asking them their status of living and expenses. Many of them complained about the hiked prices which was one of the major reason of delay in their education.

To conclude, I do not believe the government should take control over education, but rather introduce new laws and scholarships as well as provide low interest rate loans. Which will encourage as well as help students who are willing to pursue further studies. By this the government will also not be burdened as well as anyone willing to gain education, will easily be able to achieve it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against free university education. The main ideas—the potential devaluation of education, the strain on public funds, and the preference for loans and scholarships—are relevant. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The example regarding the book is vague and lacks specific detail, which limits the depth of the argument. While the position is consistent throughout, the supporting arguments could be more thoroughly explored to reach a higher band. The response covers all parts of the task, but the explanation of why government funding would 'decrease the value of education' remains superficial.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is slightly disjointed, such as the transition into the example about the book. Additionally, some sentences are fragmented or lack smooth connectivity, particularly in the third paragraph. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, but the management of cohesion could be more sophisticated and less repetitive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at using less common vocabulary, such as 'diverted' and 'capped', which are used appropriately. However, there are also instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'ruling bodies' instead of 'the government' and 'get benefited with the program'. The range is sufficient to communicate the message, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical variety is somewhat limited.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Few people suggests', 'all the universities gets') and article usage. Some sentences are also grammatically incomplete or poorly punctuated, such as the sentence fragment starting with 'Which makes the needy...'. These errors occur throughout the text. While they do not impede communication, they demonstrate a lack of control over complex structures, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band in this criterion.

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