Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-07

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 6.0)

Education has always been a matter of debate in many terms, and whether it should be free or not is one of them. I agree education being free so the the majority of seekers can access without worrying. I am going to discuss it further in the upcoming paragraphs.

Firstly, education is a very important aspect of our society, it shapes the future of the community and the world. Secondly, the only reason some people cannot get admission into the university is only because their financial condition would not allow them, although there are scholarships provided by the universities but they are still limited in numbers. Moreover giving free access will cope with the problem of declining numbers of skill trade persons as getting certificates for becoming one is very expensive. Also western nations especially Canada and the USA are dealing with shorter numbers of available doctors and nurses, this situation can be easily dealt with the help of government funded universities.

Furthermore, it will also improve the literacy rate, resulting in better decision making, critical thinking as a whole, which will consequently boost the growth rate of the world. One example from history, during the reign of Sikh empire in Punjab, 88 percent of the population was literate, it was the direct outcome of free education, the number of skilled trade persons especially in war sector helped the empire makes its own high grade weapons and artillery without being depended on other nations, the sole reason due to which the region saw peace and prosperity.

In conclusion, withholding higher education from someone only because they cannot afford is a sin itself. Government funded universities will only have a positive impact on the nation and the people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You provide relevant arguments, such as the impact on literacy rates and the potential to address shortages in skilled professions. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat uneven. The historical example regarding the Sikh Empire is interesting but lacks a direct, clear link to the modern-day context of government-funded university systems. To reach a higher band, ensure that every supporting point is explicitly connected to the main argument. The conclusion is a bit brief and could have better summarised the main points to reinforce your position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Furthermore' to signal the progression of your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'this situation can be easily dealt with the help of government funded universities'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between your arguments would enhance the overall coherence of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'literacy rate', 'financial condition', and 'prosperity'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'shorter numbers of available doctors' and 'skill trade persons'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise collocation. To improve, focus on learning how words are typically paired in English and try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic of education and public policy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'I agree education being free so the the majority of seekers can access without worrying' (missing 'that' and 'it') and 'the number of skilled trade persons... helped the empire makes its own' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences that could be improved by using semicolons or splitting them into two. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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