Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-02
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)
A large population of students choose to learn English independently by themselves despite of attending a formal English course. I do agree with the statement to some extent that it becomes arduous for students to manage their studies without the guidance of a mentor.
There are multiple reasons. Firstly, when students learn on self-study basis they keep on repeating mistakes in grammar and pronunciation of words without a tutor. In addition, students need to keep a proper study schedule to keep themselves motivated. Moreover, it becomes difficult to face hard concepts alone which ultimately leads to confusion and slow progress.
On the other side, self-study also have multiple benefits. It offers students flexibility of time. Learners can pick time and topics that fit in their daily lives. Also, some apps, online videos and AI tools offer cheaper corrections and practice tests. Furthermore, self-study develops problem-solving skills among students. It creates confidence in learners to solve confusions at their own.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 159 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you state a clear position, the arguments are underdeveloped. For example, you mention that self-study leads to repeating mistakes, but you do not provide a concrete example or a more detailed explanation of why this happens. Similarly, the counter-argument regarding the benefits of self-study is listed in bullet-point style rather than being fully explored. To improve, you must expand your points with specific examples, personal experiences, or logical consequences to meet the length requirement and provide a more comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into three paragraphs, which is a logical structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'On the other side' to signal transitions between ideas. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat mechanical. The final paragraph is a list of points rather than a cohesive argument, which limits the flow of the text. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that sentences are linked more naturally through a variety of cohesive devices rather than relying on simple list-like transitions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You use some relevant terms like 'arduous', 'flexibility', and 'problem-solving skills'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'solve confusions' (which should be 'resolve confusion' or 'clear up confusion') and 'despite of' (which is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'despite' or 'in spite of'). To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring that words are used in their correct grammatical context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'despite of attending' is incorrect, and 'self-study also have multiple benefits' should be 'has'. Additionally, 'at their own' should be 'on their own'. There are also minor punctuation and phrasing issues throughout. To improve, you should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while ensuring they remain error-free will also help raise your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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