Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20

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 7.0)

Some people argue that higher education should be free for everyone and the government should bear the costs of university's operations. I partly agree with this viewpoint because free education can help lower-class students to continue their studies whereas, a small fees should be charged from rich students who can afford education.

To begin with, free education can help underprivileged students to study without worrying about fees. There are many talented people who cannot afford university education because it is costly, but if those individuals get a opportunity they can do wonders in many fields. Thus, free education can help such students to reach their full potential. Moreover, higher education helps to change the standard of living. For example, university degrees can help an individual to get hired in multinational companies with a competitive salary which can improve the quality of life. Therefore, free education can improve the economy of a country.

However, the government already has numerous responsibilities, and imposing additional burden on it could leave them with insufficient funds for other pressing issues. Instead of entirely depending on the government universities can make a rule of getting fees from students who can easily afford it that way the fees money can be allocated for the maintenance of the university. In addition, paying tuition fees can motivate students to take their studies more seriously because they have invested in it.

In conclusion, although free university education is important for the development of a country because educated people might get attractive jobs which can help them to contribute in the economy, making education free is a big burden on the government. Hence, it should not be totally free for everyone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that is maintained throughout. You effectively balance the arguments for and against free university education. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the discussion on socioeconomic mobility and the potential burden on government resources. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are slightly more specific; for instance, instead of a general mention of 'multinational companies,' you could briefly touch upon how specific sectors benefit from a highly skilled workforce. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the benefits of free education versus the economic constraints on the government. You use cohesive devices like 'To begin with,' 'Moreover,' and 'However' to guide the reader through your argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. For example, the link between the second and third paragraphs could be strengthened to better contrast the two viewpoints. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and supports the progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'underprivileged students,' 'reach their full potential,' and 'pressing issues' are used accurately. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'getting fees from students' (better: 'charging tuition fees') and 'fees money' (better: 'tuition revenue'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise academic collocations would elevate the response. You avoid repetition and maintain a formal tone throughout, which is appropriate for an IELTS essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'a opportunity' (should be 'an opportunity') and 'the government... could leave them' (the pronoun 'them' refers to the government, which is singular, so 'it' would be more accurate). Punctuation is generally handled well, though there is a missing comma after 'whereas' in the first paragraph. Despite these occasional errors, your meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not impede communication. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and article usage in more complex sentences.

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