Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-10

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)

To provide free education to people, the idea that governments should bear the running cost of the universities is highly debated. I strongly agree with the argument that authorities should invest heavily in the expenditures of the universities, and general public should be benefitted from free education.

There are multiple benefits of investing in the education sector. By allocating the adequate fund for this cause, educational institutions can focus primarily on providing quality education, instead of worrying about the ongoing expenses. Also the academically gifted students, who discontinue their education midway because of the financial constraints can continue their academic journey with this development. For example, many students rely on part-time jobs and bank loans to pay their tuition fee. If governments take care ofthe financial burden of the universities, students can leave their jobs and dedicate that time to studies or learning a new skill. These students with right education and skillset will eventually contribute to the betterment of the country.

Acknowledging that the running expenditures of the universities can consume significant proportion of govenments annual budget, the long-term benefits of investing in the education sector to provide free education cannot be overlooked. For instance, people argue that the money allocated to universities can be utilized in building infrasturctures such as roads and hospitals. They need to understand that the free education provided in the universities can encourage adults to take higher education, which can prove benefical for the society in a longer run.

In conclusion, although people contend that universities should be self-sufficient and should not rely on governments aid to run their expenses, I firmly believe that this development will help deserving students to get the higher education and build their careers. If govenments were to benefit from the future generations in terms prosperity of the country, they would need to make sure that universities provide free education to students by investing in the running expenses of the educational instituations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

Your position is clear from the introduction to the conclusion: you strongly support government funding so that students can access university education without paying tuition. You address the opposing concern about competing public spending, then explain why education may bring longer-term social benefits. The examples of students relying on jobs and loans help make the argument relevant, and you connect education with future contributions to the country. This is a well-focused response with ideas extended and supported. To strengthen it further, develop the economic trade-off more specifically: explain how governments might balance university funding with roads and hospitals, or clarify which students and costs should be covered. Some claims, such as free education encouraging adults to study, would also benefit from a concrete explanation or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall progression: it introduces your position, presents benefits, acknowledges a counterargument, and concludes by reaffirming your view. Paragraphing supports this structure, and linking expressions such as “Also,” “For instance,” and “In conclusion” make the relationships between ideas easy to follow. The argument generally moves logically from student access to national benefits. To make the organisation more polished, avoid relying on explicit signposts where the connection could be expressed more naturally, and ensure each paragraph develops one central point. For example, the second body paragraph moves from budget pressure to infrastructure and then adult education; a clearer explanation of how these points connect would strengthen progression. More precise referencing would also help readers follow phrases such as “this development.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “financial constraints,” “academically gifted,” “long-term benefits,” and “self-sufficient.” These choices show an effort to use formal and less common language, and your meaning remains clear throughout. However, some collocations and word forms are inaccurate or unnatural, which limits precision: “bear the running cost” would be more natural as “cover universities’ operating costs,” while “benefitted from free education” should be “benefit from free education.” There are also spelling errors such as “govenments,” “infrasturctures,” and “instituations.” To move further, prioritise accurate, natural combinations over elaborate phrasing, and proofread spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “students, who discontinue their education midway” and a concessive opening in “Acknowledging that the running expenditures…”. Most sentences communicate your meaning, and the argument is not difficult to follow. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “general public should be benefitted,” the article is missing and the passive construction is awkward; “the general public should benefit” is clearer. “A significant proportion of governments’ annual budget” needs a possessive form and plural agreement (“budgets” or “the government’s annual budget”), while “in a longer run” should be “in the longer run.” The final conditional sentence is also difficult to control. Aim for more consistently accurate articles, agreement, and sentence construction while retaining your complex structures.

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