Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-28

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)

Education is a crucial part of modern society. Some people opine that the government should provide free education so that everyone can have a chance to get appropriate studies and knowledge. I strongly agree with this perspective. I will explain the reasons in the following paragraphs to support my point of view.

To begin with, in our society everyone have different financial background. For example, when a child born in a poor family, that child also has the same potential of learning as the rich child. But because of the lack of resources that child will not get enough opportunities to explore and gain knowledge. Since their family can not afford school expenses. On the other hand, if the rich child will get quality education and there are more chances of this child to become successful than the poor one.

Furthermore, most of the countries are democratic countries, where people have equality in all rights. So it is the government's responsibility to provide free education opportunities so that everyone can get equality in gaining education and building careers in any field they want. For example, if the person from low income want to become a doctor and that person has the capability to do it but can not afford the medical fees. In this type of cases government fails to provide equality if some lack the opportunity because they cannot afford it.

In addition, if all of the citizens get quality education then the country becomes more prosperous and wealthy. For instance, many people will have a chance to get their desired jobs. That is why they will be more productive in their roles which may lead to more development of the nation.

As a result, it is evident that government should run the universities so that every citizen can get equal and free education.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The arguments regarding social equality and national prosperity are relevant and logically extended. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the second and third paragraphs where the concept of 'equality' is revisited without adding significant new depth. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more nuanced counter-arguments or specific, real-world examples of countries where free university education has successfully impacted the economy or social mobility, rather than relying on general statements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In addition' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between the 'rich child' and 'poor child' is slightly abrupt. Increasing the variety of linking words and improving the sophistication of transitions would enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'financial background', 'democratic', and 'prosperous'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat simple words like 'child', 'get', and 'provide'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise collocations and less common academic vocabulary. For example, instead of 'get equality', you could use 'ensure equitable access'. The word choice is generally accurate, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone have', 'a child born', 'if the person... want') and article usage. Additionally, some sentence fragments or run-on sentences occur, such as 'Since their family can not afford school expenses.' These errors do not impede communication, but they are persistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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

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