Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-02
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)
Some individuals believe that university education should be free for everyone and government should cover the cost for it. To some extent, I agree because the fees per semester is unaffordable for many families. But, if government started paying for everyone then taxes will go up.
On the one hand, taxes are paid by the public which government uses to build infrastructures, road, services etc., Apparently, people will pay more taxes for providing free university education. So, instead of covering all the college fees they should cover some percentage of it by looking at the household income.
On the other hand, university provides high level of education, which unfortunately not everyone can afford. So, if government sponsor for the people who really wants it, that will be the investment for the future of the country. For instance, if the public is not very well educated than that is harmful for their own country.
In my opinion, I am inclined towards free education for the people who wants it. As this is considered to be an investment for the future.
To conclude, university fees is very high as compare to any other college, So if government started paying for everyone than common people will suffer to pay high taxes. They should pay some percentage of it.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt but fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you present a clear position, the arguments remain underdeveloped. For instance, you mention that taxes would increase and that university is an investment, but these points lack sufficient elaboration or concrete examples to fully explore the implications. The conclusion is repetitive and does not add new insight. To improve, you must expand your supporting points with more detailed explanations and specific examples to ensure the response is fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' to signal shifts in your argument. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical, and the links between sentences are occasionally weak. For example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the conclusion is quite brief and does not effectively synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on common terms like 'high level of education' and 'cover the cost'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'build infrastructures' (infrastructure is usually uncountable) and 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'). To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and collocations related to the topic, such as 'subsidized tuition', 'socio-economic barriers', or 'human capital development'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'if government started paying' (should be 'if the government starts paying'), 'taxes will go up' (should be 'taxes would go up' for a hypothetical situation), and 'if the public is not very well educated than that is harmful' (should be 'then that is harmful'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of conditional forms would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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