Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-11

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that children learn better when they are placed in classes with children of similar academic abilities. Others believe that children learn better when they are in classes with children representing a diverse range of academic abilities.

Discuss both these views and give your opinion

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is argued that the children of similar age learn in a better way when they are sitting in the same class whereas others say that students learn better when they accompany a diverse group of students with different academic backgrounds.This essay will discuss both views and i strongly believe that the sitting with the same age in the same classroom would make them better learner.

The most prominent reason to believe that similar age makes learning interesting and meaningful is that they are comfortable. When kids are sitting with their peers who are their age mates, they would find it easy to speak up and share their ideas without any second thought or feeling nervous. As a result, since their childhood they are able to learn and participate in the activities or conversations that boosts their confidence and prepare for their future.

However, it can never be denied that sitting with diversity of people with different academic abilities would help the children to learn in a best way. The matter of the fact is the kids with other background not only help them in gaining knowledge about other stuff but also make them familiar with that. Consequently, they are learning about different things at once and able to use them as per need.

To sum up, I firmly agree that children with the same age group are able to learn in a comfortable manner whirl boosting their confidence levels. However, joining the diverse knowledge group can make them familiar with other unknown stuff sooner and grow their abilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the task prompt specifically asks about 'academic abilities' (streaming vs. mixed-ability classes), whereas your response focuses primarily on 'age'. This is a significant misinterpretation of the prompt, as grouping by age is not the same as grouping by academic ability. While you do touch upon academic diversity in the third paragraph, the focus remains somewhat blurred. To improve, ensure you strictly adhere to the specific terminology used in the prompt to ensure your ideas are fully relevant and well-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices like 'However', 'As a result', and 'To sum up' to link your thoughts. However, the flow is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the ideas in the third paragraph and the overall argument is slightly weak. Overall, the structure is functional and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a mid-range band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'prominent', 'meaningful', and 'diversity'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward phrasing, such as 'other stuff', 'gaining knowledge about other stuff', and 'unknown stuff'. These informal expressions limit your score. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise academic vocabulary and avoid repetitive or vague terminology. Expanding your range of collocations would also help convey your ideas with greater sophistication and clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the children of similar age learn in a better way' (missing 'the' or pluralization), 'sitting with the same age' (should be 'peers of the same age'), and 'whirl boosting' (likely a typo for 'while'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency. Increasing your control over articles, prepositions, and verb forms will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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