Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-03

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 5.0)

Education plays a vital role in the overall growth of the country. Some people believe that government should bear the costs of tertiary education as it fosters social equality and economic growth of the country. While others argue that it is unsustainable burden on tax payers and may lead to lower education quality due to overcrowded facilities. I agree with some extent that state should provide a tuition-free university education, however it will be more beneficial if it is limited to those who really desires or need it.

On one hand, tertiary education will be accessible to all if state covers the costs of running universities as it break the cycle of poverty and contribute fully to society based on their merit regardless of financial disparity. To more precise, many students

donot get enrolled for higher education due to lack of money which they require for paying tuition fee despit having excellent results in their previous studies. However, higher-income students get chance to persue their higher educations in top universities which they take

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You introduce the issue and state a qualified position: “I agree with some extent” that the state should fund university, but only for people who “really desires or need it.” The point about financial barriers and poverty is relevant, and you begin to explain how free tuition could widen access. However, the response addresses the task only partially: it does not develop the case for limiting support, give a clear example, or reach a conclusion, and the second side of the discussion is mentioned only briefly in the introduction. The response is also 77 words below the required minimum, leaving too little space to explain and support your position. Develop both your reasons and clarify who should qualify for free education.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introductory paragraph presents the debate and your position, followed by a paragraph beginning “On one hand” that develops access to education. This gives the reader a basic route through your ideas. However, the progression is incomplete: there is no contrasting paragraph or conclusion, and the second body paragraph ends abruptly at “which they take.” The contrast signalled by “While others argue” is not developed, so the organisation does not yet form a complete argument. Some linking is also awkward or unclear, such as “To more precise,” and the long sentence about access combines several claims without clear separation. Complete the paragraph structure and use linking phrases to show how each reason supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonably varied range for the topic, including “tertiary education,” “social equality,” “economic growth,” “unsustainable burden,” and “financial disparity.” These choices show an attempt to discuss the issue beyond basic vocabulary, and the main meaning is generally understandable. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, however: “agree with some extent,” “break the cycle of poverty,” and “paying tuition fee” do not sound natural in context. There are also spelling and form errors, including “donot,” “despit,” and “persue,” which reduce precision. Aim to use topic vocabulary accurately rather than adding formal terms where the surrounding phrase is not controlled. Proofreading and learning common collocations will make your ideas clearer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a contrastive opening with “While others argue” and a conditional idea about access if the state covers costs. Some sentence structures communicate your main points, but errors in agreement, articles, and verb forms remain. For example, “government should bear” needs an article, “as it break” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, and “students who really desires” does not match the plural subject. The sentence beginning “To more precise” is also not grammatically complete as written, and the final sentence is unfinished. These issues sometimes make relationships between ideas harder to follow. Practise checking each sentence for a clear subject and verb, and vary complex structures while keeping them complete.

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