Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-19
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 7.5)
Some people believe that the government should pay for universities so that higher education can be free for everyone. I partly agree with this opinion because free university education can provide equal opportunities, but completely funding universities may put too much pressure on the government.
On the one hand, free university education can benefit both individuals and society. Many talented students come from poor families and cannot afford expensive university fees. If education is free, these students can continue their studies and develop useful skills without worrying about money. As a result, a country can have more qualified doctors, teachers, engineers and other professionals. In addition, a well-educated population can contribute to economic development and reduce unemployment in the long term.
On the other hand, making university education completely free could create a significant financial burden for the government. Universities require large amounts of money for teachers' salaries, buildings, laboratories, libraries and other facilities. If the government pays for everything, it may have less money to spend on important areas such as healthcare, roads and public services. Moreover, some students from wealthy families can afford university fees, so it may not be necessary for the government to pay their entire cost of education.
In my opinion, the best solution is for the government to provide free or heavily subsidised education to students who genuinely need financial support. Scholarships and financial assistance could also be given to students who achieve good academic results. Meanwhile, students from wealthy families could pay a reasonable portion of the fees.
In conclusion, I agree that the government should help make university education accessible to everyone, but I do not believe that it should pay the full cost for every student. A balanced system of subsidies and scholarships would be more practical and fair.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction, which is that you 'partly agree' with the idea of free university education. You provide a balanced argument by discussing the benefits of equal opportunity in the second paragraph and the financial burden on the government in the third. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of doctors and engineers, and the competing needs for public services like healthcare. Your conclusion effectively synthesizes your position, proposing a nuanced solution that demonstrates a high level of task engagement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between the benefits and the drawbacks is smooth, facilitated by effective cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover'. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs exploring different sides of the argument, a paragraph for your proposed solution, and a conclusion. The flow of information is natural and easy to follow throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic task. Phrases like 'equal opportunities', 'significant financial burden', 'heavily subsidised', and 'balanced system' show a good grasp of topic-specific language. While the vocabulary is accurate and conveys your meaning clearly, it is generally functional rather than highly sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or less common lexical items to add nuance to your arguments. However, the current range is sufficient to express your ideas with precision and flexibility.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences ('If education is free, these students can...') and subordinate clauses. The grammar is highly accurate, with the majority of sentences being error-free. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical slips that impede communication. Your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a strong command of English syntax, which is characteristic of a high-level performance.
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