Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-17

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 6.5)

It has been often argued that university education should be free for everyone and the government should pay the costs of running universities. I believe that having education completely free, particularly in universities or colleges may affect the government's budget, which may cause problems in other sector such as health and law enforcement forces.

The main reason why I do not support the view of free education is that it may create a finance burden on the government. The universities generally provide professional education such as bachelors' or masters' degree in health, agriculture and more, which required equipment, labs and field to provide proper education which are quite expensive. Moreover universities also need experienced and highly trained staff, whose salaries may also put burden on the government if education would be free in universities. So, these expenditure leave little or no budget for another fields such as health which are equally important for the well being of countries.

Another reason is that humans usually not value the things which they get free, so it may reduces the importance of education among people, especially in the young generation. It is a good approach to provide basics education up to the high school free, which provides an equal opportunity to everyone to take their own decision about further education and also make them capable to earn to cover their tuition fees of universities if they want to study further.

However, I feel that government can provide scholarships only to those students who's academic achievements are extraordinary, and they are committed to their studies. Furthermore, the government can also provide students loans with no interest, which they can return once they complete their education. These approach can be helpful for the academically smart students who can focus on their studies without worrying about fees, and may contribute later to the government by their skills.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that providing a completely free education to everyone may reduce the importance of education and may create burden on the government finances. So, I think the government should rely on balance approach where scholarships can only provided to those students who are doing noticeable well in their studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a firm position against free university education. Your ideas are relevant and logically developed, particularly the points regarding the financial burden on the government and the potential devaluation of education. You also provide constructive alternatives, such as scholarships and student loans, which adds depth to your argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more specific; for instance, instead of mentioning 'health and agriculture' generally, you could briefly refer to a real-world example of a country that struggles with funding these sectors. Overall, your position is consistent and well-supported throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Your essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a central theme, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Another reason', and 'However' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'these expenditure' (should be 'these expenditures') and 'these approach' (should be 'this approach'). Improving the variety and natural flow of your linking phrases would elevate your score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'professional education', 'extraordinary', and 'academically smart'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'finance burden' (should be 'financial burden'), 'another fields' (should be 'other fields'), and 'doing noticeable well' (should be 'doing noticeably well'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure you are using the correct word forms (e.g., adjectives vs. adverbs).

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('humans usually not value', 'which required equipment', 'scholarships can only provided') and article usage errors. While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of your argument. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses and ensure that your complex sentences are constructed accurately. Proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement would significantly improve the overall accuracy of your writing.

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

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