Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-07

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

A huge number of students choose to study English independently on a self- study basis rather than attend a formal course. However, without the assistance of a teacher, students often find it difficult to manage their studies.

To what extent do you agree or disagree ?

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

I acknowledge the fact that many learners preffer to learn English on their own than to be taught ,but they often get challenged without guidance of a professional. The challenges are discussed in the essay below.

Firstly ,the pronounciation of some key words may be difficult and this leads to poor understanding of the words and mis- interpretation of sentence .Furthermore, personal studies lowers concentration and focus .For instance ,without a teacher assignments might be skipped and deadlines may not be observed.

Secondly, the scope to be covered may not be achieve since learners may ignore and skip some important part of the syllabus. However it my seem easier to them but may end up costing them during evaluation and lower their final score.,

In contrast, studying on their own assists on cutting down cost of hiring a teacher and thus help in saving for other uses. Also.it gives a learner time to explore the scope in various ways not only sitting and receiving from the teacher but also doing research using diverse techniques and methodologies such as internet ,,libraries and journals among others This widens the thinking capacity of students and also gives them a sense of responsibility where they have to plan and do their work without supervision.

To wrap up, in my opinion students should be given both chances to be taught and to read on their own .Teaching gives them to understand the ideas whele personal studies gives room for more research and more examples in real life situations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the challenges of self-study and the benefits of independent learning. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the point about 'pronunciation' is mentioned but not fully explained in terms of how a teacher specifically mitigates this. The position is clear, but the argument lacks depth and specific, well-supported examples. The conclusion introduces a balanced view that was not fully explored in the body paragraphs, which limits the overall coherence of the argument. To improve, ensure each main point is supported by a concrete example or a more detailed explanation of the 'why' and 'how'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression from the challenges of self-study to the advantages. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'However it my seem easier to them' and the awkward transition 'Also.it'. Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the double commas after 'methodologies' and the inconsistent spacing after periods. While the overall structure is clear, the flow between sentences is occasionally disrupted by these mechanical errors and some awkward phrasing, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of word-choice errors or awkward collocations, such as 'the scope to be covered may not be achieve' (should be 'achieved') and 'receiving from the teacher'. The student attempts to use some academic vocabulary like 'methodologies' and 'supervision', but the overall range remains limited. Spelling errors, such as 'preffer' and 'pronounciation', also occur. To improve, focus on learning collocations and ensuring that words are used in their correct grammatical form.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's flow. Examples include 'personal studies lowers concentration' (subject-verb agreement), 'it my seem' (spelling/typo), and 'gives them to understand' (incorrect verb pattern). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods and unnecessary commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors indicates a lack of control over complex structures. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and punctuation would significantly improve the clarity of the writing.

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

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