Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-03

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)

Significant amount of students usually like to take english as an independent option for their self-education instead of choosing for a practical or a formal criteria of studies but these individuals face probelms whilst managing their academics without a support of an actual teacher. In my opinion, having an academic course would be much more beneficial to secure a good grade rather than finding resources to learn at my own.

If we look into the reasons that why I think like that, it's because a academic course is built by a professional who has an experience about what steps must be taken to get a significantly good score in a particular subject, also that person has provided all the essential recourses in that programme and valuable insights of the topics that must be learnt by an individual and having a professional guidance along with that can cause an increment in your confidence and ability to study with more passion.

Infact alot of individuals can not simply agree with my opinions because to them self teaching is more reliable and it can be if any student who doesn't want to spend expenses to get an academic course for a particular subject in which he/she is already fluent. Also without a formal course student wont be able to know what resources he/she should use to secure good marks.

At the end I would like to conclude that having a teacher who has aced english subject and have a good course built for the students would be more beneficial and will be more manageable rather than getting a low grade with the self teaching and wasting your own potential.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout, arguing in favor of formal courses over self-study. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that professional guidance increases confidence and that courses provide essential resources, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. The third paragraph introduces a counter-argument but remains slightly underdeveloped, as the logic regarding why self-teaching might be reliable for fluent students is not clearly connected to the overall argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that 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 logical paragraphs, each with a clear central focus. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'also' and 'and'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the third paragraph where the connection between the counter-argument and the main thesis could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

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. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'formal criteria of studies' instead of 'formal course of study' and 'a academic course' (should be 'an'). You rely on fairly common vocabulary, and there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items. To improve, focus on learning collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to education, and pay closer attention to word forms and articles.

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 flow of reading. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'a huge number of students... are' vs 'is'), article usage (e.g., 'a academic course'), and punctuation errors. Some sentences are quite long and run-on, which makes them difficult to follow. While you attempt complex structures, they are often marred by errors. Focusing on sentence boundary control and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy and clarity.

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

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