Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-05

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)

In this progressing world, there has been a debatable belief about children being able to learn with similar academic ability students or with the students having diverese academic ability. In my opinion, youth learning with diverse knowledge of fellow members learn better than the ones with same ability. Following essay we will discuss both the sides.

On one hand, some people believe that if students learn with fellow members who have same academic ability will give them confidence to learn easily and they will not have fear of scoring less than the fellow students and get mocked on themseleves. Moreover, it becomes easy for them to maintain friendship with the ones that are similar to them as it has been notices in some cases that if a student scores more than the other, they intend to not be friends with them due to loss of reputation.

On the other hand, when folks learn with the ones with diversed academic ability it gives motivation to the ones who score less to score more when they try to take it as a competition. During my school days, my parents used to compete me with my fellow classmates who were scoring more than me, which used to give me motivation to study more and score well.

In my belief, students should learn with the group that posses varied kind of academic abilites gives more motivation to learn and score better in ones lives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address both views and state a clear preference for mixed-ability classes, especially in the opening and final paragraphs. The examples are relevant: you explain that similar-ability groups may reduce fear of being mocked, while your school experience illustrates how higher-achieving classmates motivated you. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The first view relies on confidence and friendship, and the second mainly on competition; explain more fully how these factors improve learning, perhaps also considering peer support or the risk of discouragement. Your conclusion repeats your position rather than drawing the discussion together. The response is also 10 words below the required minimum, so it does not meet the task’s length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a concluding opinion. The signposts “On one hand” and “On the other hand” make the contrast easy to follow, and the personal example is placed appropriately in the paragraph supporting mixed-ability classes. Some cohesion is mechanical, however, and the opening says “Following essay we will discuss both the sides,” which announces the structure rather than developing the argument. Connections between claims could also be clearer: explain how fear of lower scores affects learning, and how competition leads to better study. The final sentence repeats the earlier opinion without summarising the reasons. More precise referencing and varied transitions would improve progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “academic ability,” “confidence,” “motivation,” and “competition.” There are also attempts at less common phrasing, such as “loss of reputation,” though the expression is not quite natural in this context. Several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “diverese,” “diversed,” “notices,” “abilites,” and “posses.” Some phrases are awkward or repetitive, such as “fellow members” and “score more,” and “In this progressing world” is an unnatural opening. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding your position, but more accurate collocations and careful proofreading would make the argument clearer and more fluent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a conditional idea in “if students learn with fellow members who have same academic ability…” and a relative clause in “the ones who score less.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to process. For example, “if students learn … will give them confidence” lacks a clear grammatical subject for “will give,” while “students should learn … gives more motivation” has a subject–verb agreement problem. Articles and sentence construction also need attention, as in “with same academic ability” and “Following essay we will discuss.” Practise building complete clauses and checking agreement, articles, and verb forms before adding complexity.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.