Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-26

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)

It is argued that the government should pay the expenses for running universities. So, everyone get free education. It has some plus and minuses which I will discuss in upcoming paragraphs.

First of all, If government take responsibility for paying costs of universities then institutions don't need to take money from the students which is good for both. Students can pursue free education. Because of this the pupils who wants to learn but don't have enough funds which is barrier for them that can be removed and they can learn things easily. For example, there are some students whose background is not strong enough to take care of their finance expenses , that can be helpful for them. Moreover, country grows. To explain , if more youth contribute in education then they will have good job then It will help economy to grow for the country.

On the other hand, there is much burden for government to take care of because the tuitions are expensive nowadays. So, maybe government increase taxes and it will become headache for people. If government pays fees for students then they will not focus much on studies and they will fail because they don't have to pay and it is waste of government money. They will not serious about it.

To conclude, There are some advantages like there is no financial barrier for some students and county will grow because of this act. However, there is some disadvantages like so much burden on the government.

In my opinion advantages outcome disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of free university education. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the argument that students will not be serious if they do not pay fees is a common point, but it is not fully explored or supported with evidence. The position is clear, but the conclusion is slightly underdeveloped. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more specific examples or logical reasoning, ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, well-supported main idea.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'First of all', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand' are used, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs are sometimes abrupt. For instance, the jump from discussing financial barriers to the country's economy is a bit sudden. Improving the flow between sentences by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms such as 'good', 'bad', 'help', and 'things'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'take care of their finance expenses' and 'it will become headache for people'. To improve, you should focus on using more academic vocabulary and collocations that are appropriate for a formal essay. Expanding your range of synonyms and using more precise terminology will help you convey your ideas more effectively and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone get', 'government take'), missing articles (e.g., 'If government'), and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'advantages outcome disadvantages'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles. Practicing complex sentence structures will also help you demonstrate a wider range of grammatical control.

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

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