Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-20

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)

Nowadays, many students choose to study English by themselves instead of going to English course. Some people think self-study is good, but other people think students need a teacher. I agree that studying alone can be difficult without a teacher.

First, self-study has some good points. Students can study at any time and any place. They do not need to follow a class time. They can also choose the topics which they like. For example, a student can use YouTube, mobile apps and books to learn English at home. It can also save money because students do not need to pay for a course. For these reasons, self-study is useful for some students.

However, I think studying English without a teacher can be difficult. Students may not know their mistakes in grammar, writing or speaking. A teacher can correct these mistakes and explain difficult things in an easy way. Also, many students do not have enough motivation to study alone. They may start studying for some days but then stop. In a classroom, students have a fixed time and homework, so they can study more regularly.

Another problem is speaking practice. When students study alone, they may have very little chance to speak English with other people. A teacher and classmates can give them more opportunities to practise speaking.

In conclusion, self-study has some advantages, such as being cheap and flexible. However, I believe that a teacher is important because students can get corrections, motivation and speaking practice. Therefore, I agree that many students find it difficult to manage their English studies without a teacher.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response clearly addresses the prompt, taking a well-defined stance that studying English independently is indeed difficult without a teacher. The main body paragraphs explore relevant ideas such as flexibility and cost-saving for self-study, followed by counter-arguments regarding lack of error correction, motivation, and speaking practice. The position is maintained throughout the essay. However, the ideas tend to be somewhat simplistic and lack deeper extension or more sophisticated support, which places this response comfortably at Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is coherent and presents a logical overall arrangement. Information is organised into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, separate body paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'However', and 'Another problem is' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the text, although they are a bit mechanical at times. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their ideas clearly. There are attempts at less common vocabulary phrases such as 'flexibility', 'motivation', and 'opportunities to practise'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent use of basic words like 'good', 'study', and 'students'. Word choice and spelling are generally accurate and do not impede communication, matching the criteria for Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, such as conditional or concessive clauses like 'Although...'. There are several error-free sentences, and grammar and punctuation are controlled well enough that meaning is never obscured. While minor errors or slightly awkward phrasings appear, such as 'instead of going to English course' lacking an article, they rarely impede communication. This reflects a solid Band 6 level of grammatical control.

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